Mural Honoring Healthcare Workers Debuts At Washington Heights ER

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — A colorful addition to the Columbia Medical Center's emergency room debuted over the weekend to pay tribute to the healthcare workers inside.

Local artist M. Tony Peralta spent his Saturday painting a giant mural-sized version of his "Enfermera con Rolos" image, which he made as a thank you to healthcare workers on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic.

The nurse in hair rollers, with a large "Thank You" by her side, was inspired by a series Peralta is working on honoring Latina women in hair rollers, though he said it's meant to represent any and all healthcare workers.

"The image of the nurse is a symbol for all healthcare workers, I just chose a Latina woman in hair rollers to represent them," he told Patch.

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The series — which features women like Selena Quintanilla and Frida Kahlo with their hair in rollers — is meant to represent heroes in a relatable way, Peralta said.

"As a Dominican-American, seeing women in hair rollers is an image we see constantly in our households and our community," Peralta said. "The concept being the hair rollers is making these iconic women more relatable by having them adorn the curlers."

Peralta first shared the nurse image on social media several weeks ago.

The response was so positive, that he started selling it as a print and on t-shirts online, donating part of the proceeds to a coronavirus relief fund.

Soon, he started searching for a spot in Washington Heights or Inwood where he could bring it to life as a mural. The mural is self-funded, but he needed permission to paint it onto a wall, Peralta said.

The idea eventually reached NewYork-Presbyterian Columbia Medical Center's higher-ups, who quickly embraced the idea.

"They loved the concept," Peralta said. "I got to walk around with someone from the hospital and picked the perfect location...My assistant and I completed the mural in one day."

(Courtesy of M. Tony Peralta.)