Woodhull Healing Mural

Lead Artist Joe Matunis and his student muralists from El Puente Academy worked with Woodhull doctors, staff, and patients to design and paint a mural to make children more comfortable during their hospital stay. The mural transforms the medical process into a fanciful fable to help children encountering it for the first time. It features animals such as frogs, rabbits, and elephants walking around and performing the activities which happen each day at the hospital. For example, the process of having a broken bone cast, a particularly frightening procedure for a child, is shown in a friendly and comforting style to help ease the nervousness of a doctors visit. The whimsy of the piece takes influence from childrens books, which are always filled with bright colors, fun shapes, and funny animals. The panels are installed permanently at Woodhull's renovated pediatric ward.