22 Murals Installed On East Harlem Storefronts: City

EAST HARLEM, NY — East Harlem just got a little more colorful. Twenty-two new murals were installed at neighborhood storefronts Friday as part of the public art initiative 100 Gates – which connects local artists with businesses that commission murals on security gates.

The new murals are concentrated on the East 116th Street and 125th Street corridors in order to promote walking, cycling and other physical activity in the area. The project is a collaboration between 100 Gates and the city Health Department, city officials said.

"These murals turn the sidewalk into an unexpected gallery and encourage people to go outside and explore their neighborhood," Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot said in a statement."By creating appealing streetscapes, we can increase walking and biking and advance more equitable environmental and health outcomes."

Encouraging physical activity is especially important in East Harlem, where adults suffer disproportionately from conditions and illnesses such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease, city health officials said.

The city Health Department provided the following statistics for East Harlem:

• More than one in four adults suffer from obesity;
• Nearly one in six residents have diabetes;
• One in three adults have high blood pressure;
• Heart disease is the leading cause of death.

"The 100 Gates Project beautifies East Harlem, provides local artists with platforms, and most importantly – works to address the neighborhood’s health inequities by encouraging exercise. I thank the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, participating artists, and all business owners for working together to complete this initiative," local City Councilmember Diana Ayala said in a statement.

The 100 Gates project was created in 2014 with the goal of decorating business gates with street art as opposed to illegal graffiti. By the end of 2016 the project had succeeded in adding 100 new murals to the Lower East Side. The program has since spread to neighborhoods such as East Harlem, the North Shore of Staten Island and along Flatbsh Avenue in Brooklyn.

Photo courtesy artist Funquest & NYC Health Department