HARLEM — The multi-colored "V" against a white backdrop stands for "Victory," said Kasseem “Swizz Beatz” Dean, a hip-hop producer and artist who has worked with Jay-Z and other rappers, and is married to superstar Alicia Keys.
The painting was donated Thursday to the Henry J. Carter Specialty Hospital and Nursing Facility on Park Avenue and East 122nd Street and is meant to serve as an inspiration for both patients and staff.
“Victory is a powerful statement representing the personal struggle to triumph over the challenges of profound physical disability,” Dean said at the dedication ceremony. “This piece symbolizes the monumental daily effort in working toward rehabilitation goals and physical progress."
Dean serves as the first global ambassador for the city's Health and Hospitals Corporation. His work is also scheduled to appear at the newly renovated Harlem Hospital Center's Mural Pavilion.
“HHC promotes the use of art throughout its facilities to help enhance our patient’s wellbeing, healthcare, and rehabilitation,” said HHC President Dr. Ram Raju. “Mr. Dean understands the healing power that art can provide in the healthcare setting.”
The $285 million 228 patient facility opened last year and houses patients from the former Coler-Goldwater Memorial Hospital on Roosevelt Island which was closed to make way for Cornell's University's tech campus.
Henry J. Carter, the founder of Wheelchair Charities, a group that has made more than $25 million in donations to HHC, and for whom the facility is named, said the painting was "a very special moment" for the facility.
“Victory is something everyone can relate to because it reminds us of our struggles, but more importantly, our triumphs," said Carter.
