Community Art Celebration Unveils Vibrant Installations at NeighborHealth
NeighborHealth and HarborArts collaborate to celebrate art installations across NeighborHealth’s campuses
REVERE, MA (November 22, 2024) — NeighborHealth and HarborArts celebrated the unveiling of two dynamic new art installations at NeighborHealth. The event, titled “Expressions of Community: Honoring Voices Through Art,” showcased a robust collaboration between NeighborHealth, HarborArts and an impressive array of artists dedicated to highlighting the rich tapestry of community voices through art.
The unveiling, held in the organization’s administrative offices alongside historic Revere Beach, showcased 18 curated works by local artists, many pieces highlighting the stories of NeighborHealth patients. The collection features work from a talented roster of artists, including Adam O’Day, Colin McGuire, David Riley, Darlene DeVita & Sarah Putnam, Felipe Ortiz, Jackie Reeves, Silvia López Chavez and Sury Chavez, each bringing a unique perspective on health, identity and community.
The event also revealed a breathtaking three-story mural completed earlier this month in East Boston by internationally acclaimed Colombian street artist Diana Ordóñez, known as LEDANIA, on the brick surface of NeighborHealth’s Taylor building. Located on the prominent corner of Gove and Havre Streets, LEDANIA’s vibrant mural offers themes of community, identity and connection, featuring NeighborHealth’s “knot” to symbolize the threads that weave the community together.
“Art has long been a part of NeighborHealth’s history in making patients feel welcome and included in our clinical spaces,” said Greg Wilmot, CEO and President of NeighborHealth. “Our founder, Dr. James Taylor, valued artistic expression and was an early supporter of the healing power of the arts. We carry out his legacy today by supporting wellness through arts and culture programming and partnering with organizations like HarborArts, who do incredible work in this space. Providing opportunities for patients to see themselves reflected in art is not only a way to celebrate their uniqueness, but a powerful way to foster healing and inclusion.”
The mural by LEDANIA decorates the west side of the Taylor Building, one of NeighborHealth’s main clinical buildings that is home to a broad range of healthcare services, including its recently rebuilt emergency department, walk-in behavioral health urgent care, radiology, pharmacy and primary care.
“Partnering with NeighborHealth has been such a rewarding experience,” said Matthew Moyer Bell, Creative Producer and Director of HarborArts. “It’s all about bringing art and wellness together in a way that truly energizes the community. We’re not just transforming spaces; we’re creating opportunities for local and regional artists to shine in a healthcare setting where art can truly make an impact. And now, with our mural at 10 Gove featuring an international artist, we’re elevating the entire project and giving even more visibility to the talented local artists who’ve been part of this journey.”
“I am grateful to be a part of an organization that appreciates and understands the value of art as medicine,” said Erin Bourgault, LCSW, Director of Community Healing Response and Mental Health at NeighborHealth. “We recognize that not all patients and community members may be ready or open to engage in traditional behavioral health therapy; however, modalities such as art, dance, and music serve as powerful tools for channeling emotions and promoting healing. It is an honor to work alongside community healers and artists who offer healing ‘for the community and by the community.’”
Expanding its administrative operations to Revere has allowed NeighborHealth to construct new clinical space to increase access to primary care in its East Boston location, while also taking advantage of new opportunities to integrate arts within and around its campus. As the largest community-based primary care health system in Massachusetts, NeighborHealth continues to uphold its mission of promoting engagement and wellness through art, fostering an environment where community members feel welcomed and valued.
Photos from the “Expressions of Community: Honoring Voices Through Art” event on Wednesday, November 20 are shown here.
Cape Cod-based artist Jackie Reeves poses in front of her work depicting historical figures in health and medicine with NeighborHealth Chief Equity Officer Mimi Gardner, NeighborHealth CEO Greg Wilmot and HarborArts Creative Producer and Director Matt Moyer Bell.
East Boston-based artist and longtime NeighborHealth patient David Riley shares the details of his painting which mixes elements of dreams and reality with guests Joe Diggs and Richard Neal at the Expressions of Community event in Revere.
Boston-based artist and HarborArts curator Felipe Ortiz shares his work on display with Erin Bourgault, LCSW, Director of Community Healing Response and Mental Health at NeighborHealth.
Neighborhood PACE Director of Clinical Operations Tina Smith and Neighborhood PACE Recreation Manager Julie Samson take in “Ripples of Care,” a mural by Chelsea-based artist Silvia López Chavez newly installed in NeighborHealth’s Revere offices.
On November 11, internationally acclaimed Colombian street artist Diana Ordóñez, known as LEDANIA, completed a mural on the west side of NeighborHealth’s Taylor Building at 10 Gove Street in East Boston, depicting themes of community, identity and connection.
About NeighborHealth
NeighborHealth, formerly East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, is one of the nation’s largest Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and the largest community-based primary care health system in Massachusetts, serving over 120,000 people and recognized by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) as a National Quality Leader. For more than 50 years, NeighborHealth has offered access to comprehensive primary care, specialty care and emergency care for patients in the Commonwealth. In a first-of-its-kind merger in 2020, East Boston Neighborhood Health Center joined forces with the South End Community Health Center and expanded services to patients who live and work in Boston’s South End and Roxbury neighborhoods. With nearly 2,000 employees, NeighborHealth champions innovative care models to actively bridge health equity gaps in our low-income and immigrant communities with services unique from other healthcare providers in our state. For more information, visit www.neighborhealth.com.
About HarborArts
HarborArts is dedicated to creating vibrant spaces for dialogue and connection. Since 2009, HarborArts has installed over 100 public art projects, including murals, sculptures, site-specific installations, and pop-up experiences. Our mission is to harness the power of art to bring people together around the critical issues facing our community and the world we live in.
By fostering partnerships between local businesses, nonprofits, and artists, we ensure that our work resonates with and supports the communities we serve. HarborArts remains committed to empowering artists, engaging diverse audiences, and inspiring action through the universal language of creative expression.
