Posted: May 17, 2013 | Author: lisadgomez | Filed under: Arts, Events, Fairs/Festivals | Tags: Bronx Heroes Comic Con 5, J.M. DeSantis, Justice Woman, Mindy Indy, Moonbase Comics, Ray Felix, The Bronx Socialite, The Dodgeball Teens, Vanessa Verduga |
May 4th & 5th was the 5th annual Bronx Heroes Comic Con. If you remember, director Ray Felix was featured on the first edition of The Spotlight. The event featured screenings, talks, and workshops from a variety of comic book artists and authors. There were also tables featuring the likes of Mindy Indy, the Dodgeball Teens, J.M. DeSantis, and Moonbase Comics. I saw the tail end of Vanessa Verduga’s screening/discussion of her webseries Justice Woman, which was super cool.
I can’t claim to know a whole lot about comics of the comic book industry (I read a few Archie comics when I was young if that counts for anything!), but it was really cool to see this sort of subculture at work. It actually got me thinking about learning animation for some of my short stories.
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Posted: May 1, 2013 | Author: lisadgomez | Filed under: Arts | Tags: Andrew Freedman, Andrew Freedman Home, art in the bronx, Dianne Smith, The Bronx Socialite, West Harlem ArtFund |
Another great exhibit debuting at the Andrew Freedman House this week! Check out the details below:
From the West Harlem Art Fund…
BRIMMING ON THE EDGE
May 2nd – May 16th 2013
Andrew Freedman House, 1125 Grand Concourse, nr 167th Street, Bronx, NY 10451
Meet & Greet on May 3rd at 5pm
Featured Artists
L.W. Antonius, Alta Berri, Linda Byrne, Thomas Callahan, Marco Castro, Robin Kang, Suprina Kenney, Jongil
Ma, Tomo Mori, Anca Pedvisocar, Roberto Sandoval, Chris Smith, Dianne Smith, Nancy Steinson
Brimming on the Edge is a group exhibition that marries the disciplines of art, design and technology together.
Produced by The West Harlem Art Fund in partnership with the Andrew Freedman House, Brimming on the
Edge coincides with NYCxDesign, and the Frieze Art Fair located nearby on Randall’s Island. There is a budding
movement revolutionizing the Western world. The public is demanding more customized experiences that reflect
their personal lifestyle and appreciations. Yes, it’s easy to purchase a picture frame or a wine rack from a large
retailer that’s inexpensive and probably made in China. But now, the public wants a unique work that’s made in
the United States for which they can showoff in their home or keep as an heirloom. We wish to show the public
these new possibilities in a number of combinations. Brimming on the Edge is curated by Savona Bailey-McClain,
Executive Director, The West Harlem Art Fund, Lisa Banner and Linda Griggs, Independent Curators.
About the Organizations
The West Harlem Art Fund is uniquely positioned to offer this experience. A fifteen year old public arts
organization, we have produced numerous exhibitions and special events with artists and creative
professionals wishing to share their talent with residents around the city. Public art for the West Harlem Art
Fund has included traditional exhibitions, digital installations, storefront windows and live performances. The
West Harlem Art Fund encourages audiences to not only think outside of the box – but to live outside the box.
Our heritage symbol is the double crocodile from West Africa — Funtunmmireku-Denkyemmirreku which means
unity in diversity.
Mid-Bronx Senior Citizens Council (MBSCC), one of the leading non-profit, community development
organizations in the Bronx has been the owner and operator of the Andrew Freedman since 1984. This
majestic building has been home to a “one stop” social service center which provides a vast array of programs,
resources and referrals for residents of the entire community. It is expanding into a new and exciting
destination for art, culture, learning and creativity.
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Posted: April 2, 2013 | Author: lisadgomez | Filed under: Arts, Outdoors | Tags: Bartow Pell Mansion Museum, Dianne Smith, The Bronx Socialite |
In celebration of spring and my day off on Friday, I decided to head over to the Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum to check out the Dianne Smith exhibit. I missed the rescheduled debut because I was at a seminar in Rhode Island, but I definitely wanted to make time to see it!
First, one of the most important things you need to know about getting to BPMM is transportation. If you’re part of the 1.3 million NYC households that own a car, then getting there won’t be a problem . However, if you don’t, like me, you MUST catch the Bee Line 45 bus, which only runs once an hour. Your other alternative would be to take the Bx29 heading towards City Island, but it’s still a considerable walk. If you’re impatient like I was (also having seen the 45 leave before my eyes with another 20 minutes for the 29 to show up), you just suck it up and walk the two miles. It’s not a bad walk if you’re wearing comfortable shoes and just follow the bike path.
Second, you should probably look up BPMM’s hours before you go. Which, like a fool, I did not, so after walking the two miles, I discovered that the actual mansion itself was closed. It’s only open Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday from 12 pm – 4 pm. {Unless there’s a special event, like this Friday’s First Fridays event. Check their calendar for details} The good thing is that the grounds around the museum are open from 8:30 am til “Dusk” (I’ve never been partial to the word dusk.)
Spring is probably one of the best times to visit the grounds, where you can see flowers beginning to bloom and nature (fear it as I may), come back to life – particularly after the hellish Fall and Winter we had.
Plus, it’s a great place to get away from it all, whatever ‘it’ may be for you.
As for the exhibit, it is definitely called Organic Abstracts for a reason. Having known the background behind the exhibits, I had a much greater appreciation for them than Boyfriend, who having went to an art school (to study business of all things) is very particular about art.
Check out the pictures I took during my visit:
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Posted: March 1, 2013 | Author: lisadgomez | Filed under: Arts | Tags: Bartow-Pell Mansion, Bronx Armory Day 2013, Bronx artists, Dianne Smith, Organic Abstracts, The Bronx Socialite, West Harlem Art Fund |
I received some great info about a new public art installation that will be on display at the Bartow Pell-Mansion beginning this upcoming Monday. Additionally, next Thursday, March 7, 2013 is Bronx Armory Day, a day to celebrate and appreciate Bronx artists and Bronx-related art. The artist behind the outdoor installation at BPM is Dianne Smith, a born and raised Bronxite who now lives in Harlem.
More about her installation, Organic Abstracts, from the West Harlem Art Fund:
‘Organic Abstracts’ is a new outdoor installation produced by the West Harlem Art Fund in partnership with Bartow-Pell Mansion and the City of New York Parks & Recreation Department for Armory
Week 2013. The featured artist is Dianne Smith, a native New Yorker that was born and raised in the Bronx but
now lives in Harlem.
The installation, comprised of two sculptures, showcases a minimalist approach to abstract art, scaled
large and reminiscent of works by Henry Moore who incorporated them into the local landscape and was
heavily influenced by non-Western art. The works will not be made from traditional wood or metal but from
repurposed materials offering a more direct and intimate experience for the artist. Viewers will be able to
discover the sculptures on the grounds of Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum, part of the Historic House Trust of
NYC. The Bronx Trolley will make three round trips from Pier 92/94 to the Mansion for press & fair guests.
The Couple will be two beautifully androgynous heads approximately twenty feet wide and ten feet tall at the highest point. The heads will rest on one another and be secured on to a rectangular base. They will be made from everyday discarded materials such as, packaging, paper, cans, fabric, magazines, etc. These items will be tightly bound together with string, rope, as well as a nontoxic polymer, and waterproof varnish. As such, the piece will be weather resistant. The materials and it connectors will create a colorful and textural work of art that will engage the viewer. The Couple represents the idea of environmental, community and family respect. The concept of heads resting on one another, plays on the old adages “two heads are better than one” and “it takes a village”. They symbolize the idea that we all need each other and the environment to live harmonious and balanced lives.
Working with these objects and connectors allows the viewer to interact with the materials. For instance, the objects will be visible through the rope and string. The installation then becomes more personal to the viewer as he or she can identify things from their everyday life. Sculpting with everyday objects is similar to life there is no sure thing–something useful one moment is discarded the next. These materials speak to the fragile balance that exists in day to day existence. Thus, it is important to respect, support, and love our communities, families and environment.
Flying High is a site specific installation constructed out of brown butcher paper The paper may be crunched, crumpled, rolled, twisted, interlocked, woven and manipulated hanging between two trees. Its formations and sunlight will create patterns of shadows, as well as contrast of light and dark. The paper will be treated with waterproof varnish.
Butcher paper [for me] is a metaphor for the treatment of people in developing countries, particularly those of African descent. It is used for many things and tossed away once we are done. Wrapping meat, craft, shipping and packing of materials are just some of its uses. When we pack things we often pushthem down, bunching the paper to fill corners, trying to get everything tightly secured, and contained. It symbolizes consumption in a global market.
Flying High is also meant to question our ancestral, historical, cultural and political past, as well as the possibilities for our future. I will encourage the viewer to look at the wrinkles in the paper, think about the wrinkles in the skin of the elders in your families: What stories do they tell? What memories do they hold? Look at the ways in which the paper intertwines: How are you connected to your ancestral legacy? Look at the shadows the paper casts: What are your hidden truths? What is the imprint of your personhood on humanity and the environment?
To check out my post on last year’s Bronx Armory Day, click here.
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Posted: February 26, 2013 | Author: lisadgomez | Filed under: Arts, Events, Music | Tags: Big Pun, Black History Month, Bronx, Bronx jazz history, Bronx Music Heritage Center, Elmo Hope, Luther Vandross, Mark Naison, Maxine Sullivan, The Bronx Socialite, Tito Puente |
Have I ever mentioned how much I love the Bronx Culture Trolley? In addition to learning something new and amazing about the Bronx every time I’m on board, the looks people in the neighborhood give this vintage trolley rolling the South Bronx are just priceless.
Saturday, the Bronx Music Heritage Center hosted its Black History month celebration consisting of a trolley tour of historic music locations in the Bronx, an artisan market, a presentation by February’s subject of The Spotlight, Morgan Powell, and a performance by Malang Jobarteh.
The trolley tour was led by Dr. Mark Naison (a.k.a. Notorious Ph.D), an African American studies professor at Fordham who has also studied the musical history of the borough. It included stops such as the Big Pun mural, unofficial block party hub P.S. 99, and Maxine Sullivan’s house. The trolley moseyed along to an energetic soundtrack featuring songs from Elmo Hope to Tito Puente to Luther Vandross and Aventura.
The Bronx was once home to many famous jazz clubs such as Hunts Point Palace and the Blue Morocco. People, myself included, tend to know a bit more about the Bronx’s hip hop roots, but would be surprised to learn about the borough’s rich jazz history.
Dr. Naison attributed the borough’s astounding music history to the shared cultural interactions in the borough. ” People [referring to the rest of the U.S] can look to the Bronx to see how people can live together,” he said, noting that creativity can bloom in what may seem like the least likely of places.
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As mentioned above, the trolley tour ended back at the BHMC lab where local businesses Natures’s Garden Beauty Supply, ECWM African Market, Island Lunch Box, and Crusticks sold food and a variety of wares.
Mogan Powell treated the audience to a glimpse into the Bronx River’s history and those who have fought to protect the Bronx’s environment and overall health.
To round out the event, Gambian musician Malang Jobarteh performed a collection of melodic tunes on this very unique-looking instrument called a kora (Seriously. Look it up. I want one in my house just so I can look at it.)
BMHC has a bunch of other really awesome events lined up, so make sure you check their website to keep tabs on them.
P.S. The Wall Street Journal did a very nice write up of the trolley tour, which features a video that is worth checking out. (I am in the background looking cute.)
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Posted: February 9, 2013 | Author: lisadgomez | Filed under: Arts | Tags: Professional Development Fellowship for Artists, The Bronx Socialite, The Laundromat Project |
The Laundromat Project , which recently relocated its headquarters from Brooklyn to the Bronx, is a nonprofit focused on providing low-income neighborhoods with a chance to experience and create art in their local laundromats.
Here’s info about their upcoming Professional Development Fellowship:
The Laundromat Project is now accepting online applications for our Professional Development Fellowship program. The deadline for submitting your full application is Monday, March 4 at 11:59 p.m. Please visit our website to read the guidelines and access the application form.
The fellowship offers a six-month series of bi-weekly professional development workshops for artists interested in developing or deepening their practice of making socially relevant, socially- engaged art. Up to 15 fellows will meet with a diverse roster of artists, activists, arts professionals, curators, funders, and change agents offering strategies for creating and sustaining work that overlaps both the arts and social change sectors.
To participate in this program, artists should have a demonstrated creative practice, be interested in (or already) making socially-engaged art, live in the Greater New York Metropolitan Area (including New Jersey and Connecticut) and be at least 18 years of age.
To learn more about this opportunity, applicants are invited to attend in-person info sessions:
Thursday, February 7, 6-7 PM: MoCADA, 80 Hanson Pl, Brooklyn, NY
Tuesday, February 12th, 6-7 PM: The Laundromat Project, 901 Hunts Point Ave, Bronx, NY
Wednesday, February 20, 5:30-6:30 PM: Studio Museum in Harlem, 144 West 125th St, Harlem, NY
For info sessions, please RSVP to info@laundromatproject.org
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Posted: December 13, 2012 | Author: lisadgomez | Filed under: Arts | Tags: 10th Annual Bronx International Film Festival, Lovinger Theater, The Bronx Socialite |
Did I ever tell you guys I was a film studies minor in college? *Nods* I have pretty high standards for films (although I do love a good low brow romantic comedy a la Head over Heels every now and then). Friday night, I headed over to the Lovinger Theater at Lehman College for the second night of the 10th Annual Bronx International Film Festival.
The night’s line up included Astorgos (U.S.), Douglas (U.S.), Evolution (Germany), Fais Croquer (France), Heads Up (U.S.), Heartland (Taiwan), Naufragos (Spain), No Where, No One (Australia), Kavinsky (Switzerland), Rotos (Spain), Split Time (France), The Boat ( Australia), and Tu & Eu (U.S.).
I got to the theater late (smh) so I missed the first few. The films ranged in length from a couple of minutes to about 20 minutes. My personal favorite was No Where, No One. The story is told in reverse, not in a scrambled Memento kind of way, but literally like someone hit the reverse button. It starts off with a man who has been gunned down by the police and takes you back through his life and how he got into the situation. It’s the sort of film that leaves you wanting more, in a good way.
Evolution and Fais Croquer were really great as well. I love how short films can often have a greater impact than feature-length films.
Plus, when was the last time a $5 movie ticket got you in to see this many films?
I’m definitely looking forward to next year.
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Posted: October 15, 2012 | Author: lisadgomez | Filed under: Arts, Awesomeness | Tags: 40th Anniversary, and Annie Lanzillotto, Bronx Museum of the Arts, Latin Jazz Quartet, Rigoberto Torres Daze, Sophie Calle The Bronx, The Bronx Socialite |
The Bronx Museum of the Arts has got to be one of my favorite places in the Bronx. I’m mad I didn’t get to explore it until adulthood. In elementary school, we schlepped almost every year downtown to the Met, but couldn’t go across the borough to visit the art museum practically in our own backyard? *scratches head in bewilderment*
Regardless, I wish the museum 40+ more years of awesomeness. There were so many different things going on Friday evening – three different stages and food and drinks downstairs. Here are some of my favorites: Sophie Calle’s The Bronx, Rigoberto Torres’ Daze, the Latin Jazz Quartet, and Annie Lanzillotto (who I am really partial to because we grew up in the same neighborhood).
As usual, check out the pics from the event below:
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Posted: June 7, 2012 | Author: lisadgomez | Filed under: Arts, Food | Tags: bronx meet up group, City Island, open mic, Starving Artist Cafe |
Another one of my backlogged posts! But progress is progress. I’m on vacation this week so I hope to be all caught up.
So, I joined the Bronx Meetup group a little while back, but I never got around to attending any of the events. And technically, I got there too late to actually meet anyone without interrupting the performances, so I guess that defeats the purpose, um, but, yeah. I was there. This meetup was at the Starving Artist Cafe‘s Open Mic.
SA has this nice, cozy feel to it, almost as though you were in your living room, but cooler. And of course City Island has that small town feel to it to begin with. There are bookcases brimming with a wide variety of books and board games and a small area in the front for performers. There was actually a nice mix of performers- singers, comedians, poets.
I ate beforehand, so I only ordered a peppermint tea, but my friend ordered a brownie that looked like perfection (I wish I’d gotten a picture) with whipped cream and chocolate syrup drizzled on top. It was delicious. I’d definitely go back.
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Posted: May 7, 2012 | Author: lisadgomez | Filed under: Arts | Tags: Bronx art classes, The Bronx Socialite, Westchester Square Art Center, Westchester Square Arts Festival |
Came across two awesome bits of information a couple of days ago: 1, there is a new art center opening up in Westchester Square in the historic St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 2. They’ll be part of the three day Westchester Square Art Festival from May 18-20.
Starting in June, they will be offering drawing, painting, and digital design classes open to basic and advanced levels. BE sure to check out their website for more info.
It’s always cool to have more arts-related programs and events in the borough and it’ll be so beneficial to the neighborhood especial since Fair at Square will be coming up on May 12.
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