Art All Around Us — 3.12.25
Creative Happenings in the Bronx & a Bit Beyond ...
I often go to Bronx libraries to produce this newsletter. I get more done there, snack less, and explore more of the borough I’ve lived in for the last 32 years. And each branch appeals to me for different reasons, so I’m grateful for their existence. Yesterday, for the first time, I went to the Belmont Library (which is also named as the Enrico Fermi Cultural Center, thanks to the community's desire and efforts to create a facility dedicated to Italian-American heritage) in the neighborhood of the same name, also known as Arthur Avenue, and Little Italy (a far better gourmet source, than the one in Manhattan as you probably know). I had never been inside. Its ceiling is basically a giant skylighted one that brightens its three floors. It’s a beautiful place to be.
Another reason why: I’ve been reading and writing poetry for the last several years, and this library has a giant section of poetry (see photo above), at least in comparison to other libraries I’ve been to in the Bronx; and there are equal amounts in English and Spanish there, too! That is a very good thing for many reasons, especially having that available for students and adults of all ages who like poetry or are just exploring the library and come across it. Every once in a while, I’ll be sharing what I notice, and love, at libraries, including their art-related programs And if you like a branch for any particular reason, please let me know. You can email me at aaaubronx@gmail.com. Thanks!
PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITS
“Art We All One,” an exhibit of Azekiwe Providence’s photography is at Studio 13 Gallery, part of BxArts Factory, through April 4. All info here. FREE!
Bronx Documentary Center in Melrose presents Jamel Shabazz’s exhibit: “Seconds of My Life; Photographs from 1975-2025” through April 20. BDC says: “It highlights Shabazz’s talent for capturing powerful stories of identity, resilience, and community from the streets of New York and beyond.” The exhibit closes on April 20 and it’s at the beautiful BDC annex, 364 E. 151st St., right across from the back of the main BDC building. It’s FREE and more info here. (Another BDC exhibit on now is listed in “PHOTOGRAPHY” below.)
BronxArtSpace in Hunts Point celebrates the exhibit, “A Photographer’s State of Mind,” by The Black Photographer Collective, with a closing reception on Sat., March 15 from 2 to 6 PM. More info here. FREE!
ART SHOWS OF ALL KINDS
“The Orchid Show: Mexican Modernism,” will be open at The New York Botanical Garden’s Haupt Conservatory through April 27. All the info here.
While there is a charge for the above for nonmembers, the outdoors of NYBG is always FREE for Bronx residents. Click here to learn more and register for a visit.
At the Bronx River Art Center in West Farms is “Resilient Roots: Ecofeminism in Video Performance.” It “explores the profound intersection of ecofeminism and contemporary art through the lens of six prominent Latin American artists. It closes on April 18 with an Artist Talk from 6:30 to 7:30 PM. FREE! All the info here.
At the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers, there are several exhibits to go see, including “Alvin C. Hollingsworth: And All That Jazz,” through April 27; “It Takes Two: Unexpected Pairings,” through June 1 (photo below); and “Collection Spotlight: Cityscapes,” which is ongoing. All current exhibits listed here.
Casita Maria Gallery in Hunts Point presents “You CAN Sit Here,” a multimedia solo exhibition by Bronx native Tiffany ‘Tiff McFierce’ McPherson with an opening celebration on Thurs., March 20 from 5:30 to 8 PM. FREE! More details here.
Hostos Center for Arts & Culture presents the exhibit “Roots and Rebirth: Dominican Women in Art,” through April 16. It “showcases 22 contemporary Dominican women artists deeply connected to their history and traditions, yet forging a fresh vision of their culture through new ideas, influences, and expressions.” All the info here. FREE!
Through March 28, the Riverfront Art Gallery (part of Yonkers Public Library) in downtown Yonkers presents the exhibit “EMPOWERED,” a group exhibit. (I saw it last week and loved it.) “This exhibition calls out the many instances of injustice and leads the way to a more just and empowering future — one where we find community and see each other reflected in our world.” Curated by Haifa Bint-Kadi.” All the info here Exhibit is FREE!
Also in Yonkers is the opening of the Juried Members Competition & Exhibition at Blue Door Art Center on Sat., March 15 from 1 to 6 PM. Two of my photographs will be in that show. Here’s one of them — it’s a rose in front of a neighbor’s house.
“FUTURA 2000: BREAKING OUT” at the Bronx Museum is “a retrospective of this singular artist’s evolution from early graffiti art styles to his current practice of contemporary abstraction. The exhibition is the most comprehensive examination of FUTURA 2000’s five-decade career ever presented in his hometown of New York City.” It runs through March 20. FREE!
The exhibit, “The Art of the Wrapping,” at Lehman College Art Gallery is on through May 3. All the info here. FREE!
I recently went to see the opening of this really excellent group exhibit, “Soundscapes,” at Upstream Gallery in Hastings-on-Hudson (just a tad north of Yonkers). The exhibit is open through March 23. FREE! (Photo of collage below is one of the pieces in the exhibit by Riverdale resident Susan MacMurdy.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Through April 6 Seis del Sur presents the excellent, moving group exhibition: “HISTORIAS: The Stories Behind the Images,” at the Museum of Bronx History in Norwood. The museum is open on Saturdays, 10 AM to 4 PM. Private tours via appointment are available throughout the week. All FREE! And related to all of this…
… the founding group of six recently added the first two women, Carmen Mojica and Abigail Adams, to Seis del Sur. Their work is included in this exhibit and both will be interviewed in a special Women’s History Month Artist Talk, organized by The Bronx Historical Society on Thurs., March 13 at Inspiration Point, 710 Tiffany St., at 6 PM (mixer) and 7 PM (panel discussion). (I made a mistake on date last week. Sorry!) More info on this on Bronx Historical Society’s website under “Upcoming Events.” FREE!
Bronx Documentary Center in Melrose presents the exhibit, “School Shooting in America,” which is on through March 16. Featuring the works of Zackary Canepari, Tamir Kalifa, and Callaghan O’Hare, the show “is meant to highlight the facts around America’s firearms and profile some of the thousands of young people and families who have been affected by school shootings since the Columbine massacre in 1999.” FREE!
Through April 8, En Foco and Kreate Hub present the curated group photo exhibit “Entre el Silencio: Meditations on Silence” at WallWorks. “The exhibition is part of En Foco’s mission to uplift, validate, and preserve the culture and legacy of diasporic lens-based artists.” Click here for more information. FREE!
In partnership with Pregones, En Foco presents the exhibition “In The Spirit Y En El Espíritu: Works by Mariana Yampolsky” at the Pregones/Puerto Rican Traveling Theater (575 Walton Ave., Bronx). It runs through March 31 and features portraits by Mexican photographer Yampolski (1925–2002), and is curated by Xavier Robles Armas. FREE!
The Derfner Judaica Museum in Riverdale, features the photo exhibit: “Leonard Nones: Portraits of Resilience” through March 30. “A professional fashion and advertising photographer for 50 years, Nones has created a series of portraits of his neighbors at RiverWalk, an independent living residence at RiverSpring Living on the campus of the Hebrew Home. Nones displays a lifetime of experience as a professional photographer in drawing out the vibrant expressions and animated spirit of his subjects.” (All the info here and photo from exhibit can be seen in recent edition.)
DANCE & FILM
This month, BAAD! (Bronx Academy of Arts & Dance) has a ton going on, with dance performances and classes, film and more. Check it all out here.
Lehman Center for the Performing Arts presents a celebration of freestyle music with FOREVER FREESTYLE 17 on Sat., March 15 at 8 PM, celebrating 40 years of freestyle, and Rhythm India on March 23 at 4 PM.
Film and concert … On March 15 at 7:30 PM: Bronx Music Hall presents a screening of the film La vida es un sueno by Cuban filmmaker, Arlety Veunes Toro. It’s about the life of Cuban musician Arsenio Rodríguez, who holds the same position in Afro-Cuban-based dance music (salsa) that Louis Armstrong holds in jazz. The film screening will be followed by a concert of Rodriguez’s music performed by the Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band. More info here.
On Sat. March 22 at 7:30 PM, at Hostos Center for Arts & Culture, Bronx-based Dominican dance artist Stephanie Peña premieres her new work, Pajón con agua. “Known for her unapologetic explorations of sensuality, Blackness within Dominican culture, and ancestral connections through movement, Peña now dives into the profound relationship between Afro hair and water.” More info here and more Hostos happenings listed below.
MUSIC
On March 15 at 7:30 PM Hostos Center also honors Mercedes Sosa for Women's History Month with a musical tribute led by her nephew, Jorge Luis 'Coqui' Sosa. “Artists like Grupo Tepeu perform her classics, celebrating her legacy as ‘the voice of the voiceless.’” More info here for this event and two more upcoming ones.
Bronx Music Hall presents emerging Voices in Latin Jazz on Thurs., March 20 at 7 PM, featuring Berta Moreno & La Troup Tumaini. All the info here. (Another Bronx Music Hall event is listed in DANCE & FILM above.
Can’t wait to check out at least a couple of these: Pregones/PRTT, presents a South Bronx concert series called “March is Music 2025!” “Our popular March Is Music concert series is back featuring 10 live concerts by world-class Latin, jazz, fusion, and classical artists.” Concert tickets are $35 but you can buy 4 for $100. All the info here.
And linked to the above is Mind-Builders Jazz Nights — a student-driven series — who will perform at Pregones/PRTT on Sat., March 22. It’s a “student driven series that celebrates the versatility of Jazz as performed and interpreted by Mind-Builders’ award-winning intergenerational Stage Band. Get more info and tickets here.
On Thurs., March 13, at two senior senior centers in the South Bronx, Barbara Purdy, a singer/actress, performs at 1 PM and 1:30 PM respectively. FREE! It’s co-sponsored by the Bronx Council on the Arts and all the info right here.
At Mount Saint Vincent University in Riverdale, Bronx Arts Ensemble String Quartet presents “New Norm,” a celebration of women composers with a premier by Elizabeth Gartman, on Sunday, March 30 at 2 PM. FREE! More info here.
As usual, there is a lot of great live music, as well as art and theatre, to check out at An Beal Bocht Café in Riverdale. Open mics are always on Tuesday at 8:30 PM. Much more info on upcoming happenings here.
WORKSHOPS/CLASSES/GRANTS
Blue Door Art Center in downtown Yonkers offers FREE classes/programs for kids on Saturday mornings.
BxArtsFactory in Melrose provides a useful series of video lessons on their website for families doing art at home.
There are various kids’ art workshops at Bronx Children’s Museum. Info here (scroll down page for listing). And here’s a link to all the “active” exhibit space and happenings.
Bronx Council on the Arts has a great listing of organizations that provide various opportunities, grants and projects for artists of all kinds.
Have a great week and weekend, everyone! I’d love to know what you’ve seen and enjoyed. You can email me at: aaaubronx@gmail.com or message me on IG: @jordanmossbx. And I look forward to seeing any of you who are able to come to the Blue Door Art Center’s opening (info above) on Sunday!
Peace, Paz, Shalom, Salaam ….
Jordan
Thank you for the library shout-out! The Bronx has some amazing branches.
Every time you mention the Botanic Gardens (which is a lot!), I wish I lived in the Bronx and could go for free! That pic of the orchids is beautiful. I discovered a conservatory in Baltimore that I wandered into a few weeks ago, and they are just magical places.