NYC Health + Hospitals unveils new community mural in NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens
The community mural project is believed to be the largest public hospital mural project in the country since the 1930s
The nine new murals will build on the 26 murals created in the first wave of the project
November 15, 2023
NYC Health + Hospitals unveiled a new mural today as part of the Community Murals Project, administered by the health system’s Medical Arts Division. Today’s mural, Medical roots The mural at NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens was developed by artist Zeehan Wazed through a series of focus groups with community members, staff and patients, and came to life during a painting party where the community was invited to paint the mural together. Medical roots It is one of nine new murals created this year, building on the 26 murals created during the first wave of the community mural project. The first 26 murals appear in a new book, Healing Walls: NYC Health + Hospitals Community Mural Project 2019-2021. A video of the artist talking about the mural is available here . This program is made possible with the generous support of the Laurie M. Tisch Lighting Fund.
Medical roots Depicted are eight flowers used in homeopathic medicines: calendula, lavender, chamomile, echinacea, linseed, rose petal, St. John’s wort, and nasturtium. Lavender promotes calmness and relaxation; chamomile relieves digestive problems; calendula has anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties; echinacea strengthens the immune system; flaxseed supports heart health and improves digestion; rose petals are soothing and have Mild astringent; St. John’s wort can be used to relieve mild to moderate depression and anxiety; Nasturtium is rich in vitamin C and can be used to strengthen the immune system. The flowers welcome patients and visitors while imparting knowledge about the deep heritage and medical foundations of homeopathy.
Medical rootsNew York City Health + Hospitals/Queens’ new mural, created by artist Zeehan Wazed, wraps around the second-floor main atrium.
“NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens is a vital and vibrant health pillar for the entire community,” said Rick Luftglass, Executive Director, Laurie M. Tisch Illuminating Foundation. “Mural by Zeehan Wazed, Medical roots, is a beautiful addition to the hospital and a powerful example of how NYC Health + Hospitals’ Art in Medicine program uses art to benefit staff, patients and the surrounding community. We are proud to help achieve this goal. ”
“Zeehan’s mural is a large-scale immersive experience that brings the natural world into the busy halls of Queen’s Hospital,” said Assistant Vice President, Medical Arts, NYC Health + Hospitals Larissa Trind. “This evidence-based installation considers the flora and fauna that contribute to medicinal treatments and combines them with soothing pastel colours. We consider murals as a healthcare service as they have a positive impact on public health and are very Proud to present this mural to the Queens community today.”
“The Community Mural Project is a positive and inspiring effort for our staff and patient families to promote a sense of healing and calm upon entering our facility,” said Neil J. Moore, MBA, MPA, FACHE, CEO, New York City Health & Hospitals/Queens. “We are excited and delighted that local artist Zeehan Wazed has brought his many talents to this project and are delighted to know that he spent many years growing up in this community. I believe in the end result – this colorful painting , a vivid mural—that will inspire joy, optimism, and deep appreciation in everyone who appreciates its beauty.”
“I was really passionate about painting the mural for Queen’s Hospital because I grew up a few blocks away,” said Muralist Zeehan Wazed. “My dad took me to the Queen’s Hospital emergency room when I broke my finger – that’s the finger I painted this mural on today. I wanted the variety of flowers to represent the diversity of our Queen’s Hospital, and the vines represents how we are intertwined and connected. Thank you NYC Health + Hospitals for this wonderful opportunity.”
Zeehan Wazed (@zeehanwazed) is a New York-based artist who creates painting, sculpture, dance, and creative new media. He is Bangladeshi-American and grew up in Jamaica, Queens. His artistic inspiration comes from graffiti and dance.
The Community Mural Project is believed to be the largest public hospital mural project in the United States since the 1930s, when the Depression-era Works Progress Administration (WPA) commissioned murals on public buildings, including nearly every hospital in New York City’s public health care system. Home hospital. The WPA mural is the beginning of NYC Health + Hospitals’ art collection, which is currently the city’s largest public art collection and includes more than 7,000 works of art across multiple disciplines. Art collections are used to enhance the healthcare environment, inspire creativity, promote health, increase access to art, and engage employees.
The community mural project creates opportunities for collaboration among hospital staff and with neighbors, relieving stress and improving the facility’s physical environment. Healthcare worker burnout is a national health crisis, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has created mental health challenges across New York City, especially in low-income, immigrant, and historically excluded communities that serve as the An important patient group for Health + Hospitals.
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens
NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens, a member of NYC Health + Hospitals, is the primary healthcare provider in Queens. Its primary mission is to provide quality, comprehensive care to all members of the public, regardless of ability to pay. 2015 marks its 80th anniversary of serving the communities of central and southeastern Queens, where the hospital first opened in 1935 as Queens General Hospital. The 360,000-square-foot hospital has 253 licensed beds, spacious ambulatory care units, primary and specialty services, and cutting-edge equipment. It also houses four centers of excellence: cancer care, diabetes management, women’s health and behavioral health. The hospital recently added a fully expanded emergency room, a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence recognized by the American College of Radiology, a total hip and knee replacement center, and plans to build the health system’s first dialysis center to train patients Undergo dialysis treatment. They do their own dialysis at home. To learn more about NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens, visit https://www.nychealthandhospitals.org/queens/.
About the Arts at NYC Health + Hospitals Medicine
The Medical Arts Department at NYC Health + Hospitals is dedicated to promoting the emotional well-being of all patients, their families, staff, and the greater community by utilizing the arts, including literature, visual and performing arts, throughout the process to promote healing and wellness. Healthcare system. In addition to curating the system’s important visual arts collection, the Medical Arts Department encourages evidence-based practice and provides technical assistance to all of the system’s health care facilities and clinics. This is achieved by combining arts innovation and education into a comprehensive healthcare continuum that supports the therapeutic effects of art. For more information, visit https://www.nychealthandhospitals.org/artsinmedicine/.
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the nation’s largest public health care system, serving more than 1 million New Yorkers each year at more than 70 patient care sites across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, community-based primary and specialty care centers coordinates care with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agencies and MetroPlus health plans, all supported by 11 primary hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is focused on helping New Yorkers, without exception, live their healthiest lives. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, TwitterInstagram and LinkedIn.
About the Laurie Tisch Lighting Fund
The Laurie M. Tisch Illuminating Foundation is a New York City-based foundation dedicated to improving access and opportunity for all New Yorkers and cultivating healthy and vibrant communities. Founded in 2007 by philanthropist Laurie M. Tisch, the Illuminating Fund plays an active role in supporting innovative approaches to address a range of issues, including increasing access to healthy foods, building healthy communities, supporting economic opportunity, and ensuring arts and arts education Can be accepted by the public. all. In 2018, the Illuminating Foundation launched Art for Health, a $10 million, multi-year initiative to support organizations working to address health issues affecting New York communities and to highlight the arts as a tool to heal and build understanding . Areas of focus include addressing mental health stigma, trauma and aging-related conditions.For more information, visit www.lmtif.org or follow @LMtischFund on Twitter.