Features

Art in an Emergency

Residency Alumnus Designs Mural for Bronx Hospital

April 28, 2021 by William Patterson
Artist Arantxa Ximena Rodríguez, wearing a mask, poses in front of her mural.

Mural for Lincoln Hospital at the Bronx by AXR (Arantxa X. Rodriguez), Project Photos by Pablo Antonio Estrada and Linda Morales


This past Fall, Arantxa Ximena Rodríguez (AXR), alumnus of the Summer Residency Program at SVA and graduate of MFA Fine Arts (2018), participated in an initiative by the Art in Medicine association, a part of NYC Health + Hospitals. This initiative brings the work of artists to NYC hospitals, sites that are more essential than ever in the midst of the global pandemic. The goal of the program is to build trust and commitment between hospitals and their communities, generate pride in the neighborhood, and reduce the stigma associated with hospitals through community building activities. From an open call of hundreds of proposals, AXR was chosen as one of ten to create murals for hospitals throughout the city. Her large-scale work was installed at the entrance to Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx, New York. 

Three hospital staffers in scrubs and white aprons assist in painting a section of the mural.

Mural for Lincoln Hospital at the Bronx by AXR (Arantxa X. Rodriguez), Project Photos by Pablo Antonio Estrada and Linda Morales

Five hospital staffers in white gowns help paint a section of the mural.

Mural for Lincoln Hospital at the Bronx by AXR (Arantxa X. Rodriguez), Project Photos by Pablo Antonio Estrada and Linda Morales


Here is the mural painted on the side of a stairwell, bearing a quote by Hippocrates.

Mural for Lincoln Hospital at the Bronx by AXR (Arantxa X. Rodriguez), Project Photos by Pablo Antonio Estrada and Linda Morales

The artist stands in a scissor lift to paint an elevated section of the mural.

Mural for Lincoln Hospital at the Bronx by AXR (Arantxa X. Rodriguez), Project Photos by Pablo Antonio Estrada and Linda Morales

Here is the mural covering the entire length of the stairs. It combines geometric color fields with a quote from Hippocrates.

Mural for Lincoln Hospital at the Bronx by AXR (Arantxa X. Rodriguez), Project Photos by Pablo Antonio Estrada and Linda Morales

According to the artist, the mural depicts the creation of the universe, where the hands that appear from the sides represent Mother Nature, God or the universe itself, creating everything that exists, since the circles contain all the primary and secondary colors in different shades. In the middle of the design there is a banner that reads a quote by Hippocrates, considered the father of medicine, that says "Wherever the art of medicine is loved, there is also a love for humanity."

Mural for Lincoln Hospital at the Bronx by AXR (Arantxa X. Rodriguez).
The Mexican artist Arantxa Ximena Rodríguez (AXR as she is also known) was selected to create a mural at the entrance to Lincoln Hospital located in the Bronx New York. Within 200+ applications, AXR along with ten other artists were selected and divided among ten different hospitals to create murals. The goal of the program was to use a collaborative creation process as a tool to build trust and commitment between hospitals and their communities, generate pride in the neighborhood, and reduce the stigma associated with hospitals through community building activities. Videography: Dulce Lamarca Editing: Luis Leyva Music: Reality by Oliver Koletzki. Thanks to all the people who made this project possible!

When asked about the project, AXR had this to say: “This project means a lot to me, not only because of the fact that I am a Mexican artist creating a work in a public space in New York, but because my work can help change someone's day, make people happy when passing by it. This project also helped me personally to get moving, after being in quarantine for months worried about what was going to happen to my future, it pulled me out of a depression. Just as this mural helped me personally heal, I hope that all the energy, love and dedication with which it was created reaches the hearts of people who need it too."


A poster of Arantxa’s mural is available as a pull-out poster in the print version of our new issue of SVA ContinuEd.


Follow our updates and stories on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. And meet the SVACE community by reading our new issue of SVA ContinuEd in print or digital versions!