Transforming Pain into Power Through Public Art
In 2023, Fernando “Ski” Romero unveiled one of his most profound works to date: “United,” a collaborative mural at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln in the South Bronx. Commissioned under the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs’ Public Artists in Residence (PAIR) program, the project brought together Romero, hospital staff, and local youth from the “Guns Down, Life Up” initiative. The result is a massive, emotionally charged installation that turns trauma into visual strength—an artwork built not just for the community, but with it.
Art as Medicine for the Bronx
The Bronx has long been one of the hardest-hit communities by gun violence in New York City. For years, Lincoln Hospital has served as a frontline institution for healing both physical and emotional wounds. The “United” project began as a response to that ongoing struggle. Rather than simply decorating a wall, Romero set out to create a visual dialogue about survival, empathy, and collective healing.
Over several months, Romero worked directly with teenagers from the Guns Down, Life Up program—a violence-prevention initiative that uses mentorship, art, and education to reach at-risk youth. Participants contributed their own photographs, poetry, and stories, which Romero then incorporated into the mural’s layered design. The final piece spans a major hospital corridor, depicting the faces and voices of young Bronx residents who have lived the realities of gun violence but continue to choose peace.
The Creative Process: Building Unity Through Expression
Unlike most of Romero’s large-scale corporate or hotel commissions, “United” demanded an entirely different rhythm. The mural evolved through workshops, listening sessions, and shared design sessions held onsite at the hospital. Each layer of paint carries the fingerprint of collaboration—portraits created from youth photos, color fields inspired by hospital staff suggestions, and embedded QR codes linking to poems, essays, and interviews recorded by participants.
Romero described the experience as “one of the most meaningful projects I’ve ever done. These young people showed what resilience actually looks like. This mural belongs to them.” The result feels less like a static artwork and more like a living memorial—an ongoing conversation between the hospital, the youth, and the city itself.
The Message: Healing Is Collective
“United” stands as a testament to the idea that art and public health are connected. Located in one of Lincoln Hospital’s busiest corridors, the mural greets thousands of patients, staff, and visitors daily. Its colors are bright but grounded; its message clear: community strength can overcome systemic pain. The word “United” repeats throughout the piece, not as branding but as mantra—a call for solidarity in a borough too often defined by struggle.
The mural has since drawn attention from both NYC Health + Hospitals leadership and local press, who praised its ability to merge artistry with advocacy. It’s now being studied as a model for trauma-informed design in public healthcare spaces, showing how creative collaboration can reduce stigma and foster trust.
Fernando “Ski” Romero: From City Walls to Healing Halls
For Romero, the Lincoln Hospital commission represents a natural evolution of his practice. Known for fusing graffiti aesthetics with human stories, he has spent decades painting walls across New York—from Hotel Indigo Williamsburg’s 170-foot landmark mural to Citibank’s “Progress is Beautiful” installation in Midtown Manhattan. But “United” holds a deeper resonance. “It’s not about being seen,” he says. “It’s about people seeing themselves.”
By anchoring his art in empathy, collaboration, and representation, Romero continues to redefine what public art means in New York City. The “United” mural proves that graffiti, once dismissed as rebellion, has become one of the city’s most powerful forms of healing.
Gearing up for my next project at Lincoln Hospital BX. #InteriorArt #GraffitiInterior #GunsDownLivesUp #CommunityProject #OyeGroup #MyStressTherapy #FernandoRomeroArt #SkiMST #Graffiti #GraffitiInterior pic.twitter.com/ef7Kfvjiry
— Fernando “Ski” Romero (@FR_Art_Studio) June 5, 2023
