Lead Safe House

  • The large embracing hands that separate the threat of lead poisoning from the figures in the mural represent the maternal embrace and a protective force.
  • This artist paints a mother with her newborn baby being approached by a female doctor, highlighting the medical community's role in treating environmental illnesses.
  • The palm references the Caribbean communities who make their home in Washington Heights.
  • The mural was dedicated in September, with Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields in attendance. The team explained the symbolism in the mural to community members present.
  • The mural only took this amazing team a month to complete after the final design approval.
  • Fruits and vegetables represent the healing qualities of a good diet, which can combat lead poisoning, as well as reference the healthy components of the traditional Caribbean diet.

Project Description

Groundswell collaborated with the Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation to create a six-story mural on its Lead Safe House Building. The youth artists spent the first month of the project learning about the Lead Safe House and its mission to educate the Washington Heights and Inwood communities about the dangers of lead poisoning. Together, these two neighborhoods have more children at-risk for lead poisoning than any other neighborhood in New York City. The mural celebrates the potential health and wellness of the community while educating viewers about the dangers of environmental poisoning. The threat of lead paint poisoning is represented by the chipping paint that frames the bottom portion of the mural. An urban landscape rises behind the mural’s central figures and is transformed into a giant palm tree at the top of the composition. The palm fronds embrace and shelter a group of children and adults that are healthy and playful. The youth artists transferred the mural design to the wall using a grid system, working responsibly and safely together on nine levels of scaffolding.

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Project Info

Location: 2183 Amsterdam Avenue New York, NY 10032

Fun Facts

Question about the Mural
How many eyes can you see in the painting?
Research
Infants and children living in pre-1960's housing (when paint often contained lead) have the highest risk of lead poisoning.
Fun Fact
Fruit and vegetable staples in a Caribbean diet include yams, plantains, mangoes, pineapples, papayas, bananas, yucca, and breadfruit.