The tallest mural in the USA is born in the Bronx: a 93-metre public building celebrates the stories and inhabitants of a neighborhood

The gray walls of a public housing complex can transform into a symbol of redemption for an entire urban community. The tallest mural in the United States was officially inaugurated in the Melrose neighborhood of the South Bronx, New York. The work is titled Un MAR de Gente / From Every Shore and extends along the facade of NYCHA’s Morrisania Air Rights building, located at 3145 Park Avenue, near the intersection with East 158 ​​Street. The structure hosts approximately 1950 people spread over 29 floors, for a total height of 93 meters.

The artistic undertaking was led by Néstor Omar García, a 48-year-old Dominican painter known by the pseudonym Angurria, flanked by colleagues Johann Baez (Dovente) and Mario Resende (Son Coro). Promoted by the non-profit organization ArtBridge, the work required 5 months of planning and bureaucratic permits, followed by 22 consecutive days of painting with grueling shifts of between 11 and 12 hours a day. To cover the surface, 700 cans of spray paint, tens of liters of acrylic paint and over 110 liters of protective sealant were needed. Climbing the scaffolding required between 20 and 25 minutes of travel time per trip.

The division into three sections and the participation of residents

The peculiarity of the project lies in the process of popular involvement started before applying the color on the concrete. The content of the visual representation was established during 6 community meetings held between the artists and the inhabitants of the building, designed to collect stories, memories and moments of neighborhood life. The final result is a painting divided into 3 different levels designed to symbolize the past, present and future.

The upper section depicts a grandmother with rollers in her hair holding her granddaughter on her shoulders, indicating the strength and guidance of the older generations. The central block shows a multicultural block party where people of different origins celebrate everyday life. In the lower band two children appear playing around an open fire hydrant to evoke the innocence of youth. The initiative received great support from local residents, who offered food, water and coffee to the painting team during the weeks of work at height.