Tallest mural in the US now covers 29 floors of a Bronx housing complex

Residents of the Morrisania Air Rights development in the South Bronx can now view the tallest mural in the United States. The artwork, titled “Un MAR de Gente / From Every Shore,” stands more than 307 feet tall. It covers 29 stories of the New York City Housing Authority building. The piece was painted by Dominican artist Néstor Omar García, who works under the name Angurria.

The project began with a goal to create the tallest mural in the Bronx. As the design progressed, the team realized it would also be the tallest in New York City. The final dimensions confirmed it as the tallest in the country. Tanya Pedler, president of the MAR Resident Association, said the group celebrated the national distinction.

ArtBridge, a public art nonprofit, commissioned the work. The project took approximately five months to complete earlier this year. Angurria, Pedler, and Bronx native Fernando Ortiz led community workshops with residents. These sessions taught locals about mural creation. The organizers also asked residents how they wanted to be represented in the art.

Fernando Ortiz stated that diversity and inclusion were core concepts for the piece. The team aimed to reflect the community’s demographic mix. Specific details in the mural respond to resident requests. A local Muslim girl asked for a depiction of a woman wearing a hijab. The final artwork includes that image. The top of the painting features a child wearing earmuffs, a nod to community members with special needs.

Angurria said the residents provided the stories that form the basis of the artwork. He noted that every family in the Bronx can recognize themselves in the piece. The artist described the mural as a way for the borough to see itself. Carmen Capone, a resident, expressed pride in the project’s completion. She said the community is thrilled to showcase the work.

The mural was funded by the Public Housing Community Fund and the M·A·C VIVA GLAM Fund. The M·A·C VIVA GLAM Fund provided a $165,000 grant. The unveiling took place on Oct. 27. Local leaders attended the event to support the project. They also discussed the need for continued funding for arts and cultural programs in the Bronx.

Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson spoke about budget challenges. She noted that arts and education programs are often cut during fiscal constraints. Gibson said she wants to keep art and culture connected to real support for children and artists. She expressed pride that the Bronx is leading in this area.

Senator José Serrano described the arts as the great equalizer. He said the South Bronx has historically been a place where art movements change the world. Serrano called the mural the most beautiful in America because it tells a story. He noted that it is fitting for the largest mural in the country to be located there.

Congressman Ritchie Torres, who is running for re-election on Nov. 3, said he will share the Bronx’s honor with colleagues in Washington, D.C. Torres said he will ask them if they know where the tallest mural is located. He described the Bronx as a place with no ceiling on how high it can rise. He said the area can reimagine public housing.

Dylan Baker-Rice, Chief Asset and Capital Management Officer at NYCHA, emphasized the importance of reserving resources for community projects. He noted that communities in public housing are often overlooked. Baker-Rice said the organization wants to make these places beautiful and places where residents are proud to return. The mural remains on view at the Morrisania Air Rights development.