The Harlem Hospital Center's WPA murals include mosaics, frescos, oils on plaster, and oils on canvas attached to the wall. Over the years, they have suffered considerable damage. In 2005, the hospital initiated conservation work on five murals. These murals are being reinstalled in the lobby of the New Patient Pavilion.

The following murals have been restored:

• Pursuit of Happiness (1937) by Vertis Hayes (eight panels): Stabilization and cleaning of paint and plaster; detachment of painted canvas from plaster and attachment to supporting panels; removal of painted wall sections and installation in steel framing system; infilling and inpainting of areas of loss and abrasion.
  
  
• Recreation in Harlem (1937) by Georgette Seabrooke (108-square-foot oil-on-plaster): Reinforcement of wall structure; consolidation and infilling of plaster; cleaning and stabilization of paint; division and removal of wall blocks; installation in steel framing system; integration of large areas of paint loss with a consistent sheer color; inpainting of pinpoint loss without attempting to restore mural to its original appearance; inpainting of seams between wall blocks; application of protective coating.
  
  
• Magic in Medicine and Modern Medicine (both 1940) by Charles Alston (each is 17-foot by 9-foot arched oil-on-canvas): Cleaning and stabilization of paint; shearing of top coat of plaster from wall; removal of canvas panels from detached plaster; attachment of canvases to supporting panels; infilling and inpainting of areas of loss and abrasion; application of varnish if necessary to achieve desired sheen or integrate areas of inpainting.
  
  
• Modern Surgery and Anesthesia (1936) by Alfred Crimi (250-square-foot fresco): Stabilization and consolidation of plaster; cleaning of paint; removal of some overpaint to balance non-original paint with original work; removal of plaster and installation in steel framing system; infilling and inpainting of areas of loss or abrasion.
  
  

The goal of conservators is to repair severe damage while preserving the artistic integrity of the murals.
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Installing the Murals

The New Patient Pavilion's Mural Curtain Wall includes 429 glass panels depicting three images from Vertis Hayes' mural "The Pursuit of Happiness."
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