Photos courtesy of Tameek Williams for Public Housing Community Fund
The tallest mural in the United States can now be found on a public housing tower in the South Bronx. Designed by artist Nestor Omar Garcia, also known as Angurria, in collaboration with Bronx native Fernando Ortiz, “Un MAR de Gente/From Every Shore” stretches more than 307 feet along the southwest-facing facade of NYCHA’s 29-story Morrisania Air Rights (MAR) development. The mural depicts MAR community members across generations, celebrating the residents and the neighborhood’s cultural legacy.
The mural was commissioned by ArtBridge, which worked alongside Angurria and his studio Monumental.do, Ortiz, and the Public Housing Community Fund (PHCF). Over several months, a series of workshops gathered stories and perspectives from MAR residents, placing their experiences at the center of the mural’s design.
Ultimately, these ideas have been brought to life through the monumental artwork, which serves as a testament to the generations of residents who have called MAR home since the complex was built in 1980 using air rights over the Metro-North rail tracks below. The three-tower public housing complex is home to roughly 1,950 residents.
An award-winning muralist, Angurria is known for his distinctive style and focus on Dominican identity. Drawing on the stories of MAR residents, he has transformed the building’s facade into one of the most visible canvases for community celebration and storytelling…