NYCHA Residents Help Shape New Public Art
Two new public art projects demonstrate how NYCHA residents are helping to shape the communities they call home.
Working with ArtBridge, a nonprofit that helps beautify and transform NYC communities through partnerships with local artists, residents of Harlem River Houses and Amsterdam Houses participated in workshops and provided their ideas and guidance for projects that celebrate the rich history of their neighborhoods.
Fountain Keepers at Harlem River Houses
After two years of planning, design, and collaboration with residents, Fountain Keepers by Harlem-based artist Kim Dacres was unveiled in June at Harlem River Houses.
The installation features four bronze busts installed around the development’s restored central fountain. Inspired by traditional and modern Black hairstyles, the sculptures honor the generations of maternal figures who have served as the heart of Harlem River’s community.
Residents helped shape the project through participation in conversations, site walkthroughs, and a voting process that influenced the selection of the sculptures and their placement at the development.
The project also restored historic sculptures that were part of Harlem River Houses when it opened in 1937 as one of the nation’s first federally funded public housing developments. Supported by the Mellon Foundation, the project combines preservation of Harlem River’s artistic legacy with new work that celebrates today’s community.
The art installations are part of the broader comprehensive rehabilitation of Harlem River Houses by Settlement Housing Fund and West Harlem Group Assistance as part of NYCHA’s Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) program.
Read more about the installation here.
The Future We Create Mural at Lincoln Center
In the spring, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA) unveiled The Future We Create, a mural along Amsterdam Avenue and 62nd Street that was inspired by workshops and conversations with neighborhood residents, including Amsterdam Houses residents, students, and other community members.
The artwork features historic figures from the neighborhood – such as James P. Johnson, Thelonious Monk, Mary White Ovington, Arturo Alfonso Schomburg – alongside current residents. It was designed by lead artist Vanesa Álvarez with assistant artist Derval Fairweather.
For Mr. Fairweather, a former Amsterdam Houses resident who is currently a Web Designer in NYCHA’s Department of Communications, the project was deeply personal.
“I grew up around Lincoln Center and the Amsterdam Houses, so being involved in this work truly feels like a homecoming,” Mr. Fairweather said. “It’s been a joy to help create a piece of art that brings the community together and points toward a welcoming future where the neighborhood continues to thrive.”
The mural is on construction fencing for a LCPA project to transform the cultural institution’s campus that is scheduled to open in summer 2028.
Read more about past ArtBridge projects NYCHA residents have participated in.