The Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) is the largest public health system in the United States. It provides comprehensive medical, dental, mental health and substance abuse services to New York City residents, regardless of their ability to pay. Through six regional health care networks, the Corporation operates 11 acute care Hospitals, five long-term care facilities, six diagnostic and treatment centers, over 100 community based clinics and a home health agency serving most areas of New York City. In 1983, the Health and Hospitals Corporation initiated the first, public art management program for its extensive collection of works of art. With more than 5,000 works in the Collection, and an estimated value of several million dollars the program was established as a result of the Corporation's growing collection. Its mission is to ensure the preservation and care of the collection of works for the benefit of future generations, and to provide curatorial guidance for new acquisitions and donations.

These tasks are accomplished through the development of a comprehensive maintenance and conservation program and active participation in the Percent for Art Program of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. Now the program is referred to as the HHC Art Collection.

Today the collection houses a variety of works from well-known artists such as Ansel Adams, Candida Alvarez, Romare Bearden, Ilya Bolotowsky, Red Grooms, David Hammons, Al Held, Helen Frankenthaler, Louise Nevelson, Sol LeWitt, Wayne Thiebaud, Rafael Tufino, James VanDerZee and many more. The Corporation has also been working with conservator Alan Farancz while conserving many WPA Murals and other projects.

The Health and Hospitals Corporation Art Collection is very interested in receiving donations. All mediums are applicable and when received they will be immediately installed at one of our many facilities and will be accompanied by a plaque in acknowledgement of the generous contribution. In the past years HHC has received monetary donations from the Chase Manhattan Bank, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Agnes Gund Foundation, the Municipal Art Society, the Hammer Gallery and 3M. The HHC Art Collection has also been the recipient of some fabulous art gifts. Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Center is the site of an original Kieth Haring mural which he painted in 1986, only 5 years previous to his passing, as a gift for the hospital. The mural contains the only self-portrait ever painted by Haring. Also the Art Collection has received donations from artists, Evelyn Eller, Donna Moylan and Milton Lederman.

The Collections Network Art Administrator works with the Executive Directors of 22 HHC facilities, their art liaisons and capital planning staff to commission, purchase or restore works of art for these sites. A vital component to managing the collection is documentation; including registration, cataloguing and photographing every piece that is in or received into the collection.

The City of New York owns all works of art that are part of the HHC Art Collection.

For additional information contact:
Gregory Mink
Network Art Administrator
NYC Health & Hospitals Corp.
gregory.mink@nychhc.org