For the past 17 years, RxArt has been helping kids heal, enlisting artists to create projects for pediatric hospitals. This past winter, the nonprofit debuted its most ambitious project yet – an immersive mural by Dan Colen for the 2,500-square-foot recreation room at St. Mary’s in Queens, New York. “Nothing was easy about this space,” says RxArt founder Diane Brown, describing the curved walls. “The mural had to be mapped out to the millimeter,” Colen explains. For patients, the installation (an oversize take on the artist’s “confetti” paintings) offers an exuberant backdrop for playtime and visits. “I hope it creates a sense of wonder,” Colen reflects. Of that Brown seems sure. As she puts it: “The room is complete joy.” – Sam Cochran
Image: Christopher Burke