Art All Around Us — 3.6.25
Creative happenings in the Bronx & a bit beyond ...
Hey Everyone,
As most of you already know, this newsletter is available to every soul on the planet. My mission is to make people aware — especially Bronxites and those in its vicinity — of all the incredible creative work and art programs that are happening all around us, most of them FREE. I would love to include more of my many photos, and thoughts and discoveries about the art I see and learn about. That needs more space (literally — because the newsletter would be cut off for those reading it in their email) and time.
But I really want to provide more of what I’ve got in stock, so I decided to create a related Art All Around Us edition that includes my photos, and those of others. And I want to share thoughts about what I’ve seen and experienced. I’ll be doing that every two to three weeks only for paid subscribers. So, any current or future paid subscriber will have access to these. I’ll start with my first edition (also an addition:-) in the next week or two.
If you’re already a paid subscriber, you don’t need to do anything; you will receive the additional newsletter automatically. But if you aren’t and want to see and read more of what I see and experience, especially in the Bronx, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. Thank you!
OK, here’s what’s going on — maybe not every single thing, but much, much more than you can see in any publication anywhere else!
ART OPENINGS/CLOSINGS
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, and the opening reception is today Thurs., March 6 from 6 to 8 PM. FREE! All the info here.
There will be an opening reception on Fri., March 7 from 6 to 8:30 PM for “Art We All One,” an exhibit of Azekiwe Providence’s photography at Studio 13 Gallery, part of BxArts Factory. All the info here. FREE!
On Sat., March 8 from 6 to 9 PM, Bronx Documentary Center in Melrose presents an opening reception for Jamel Shabazz’s exhibit: “Seconds of My Life; Photographs from 1975-2025.” 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!
DANCE (for Kids & Adults)
This Saturday, March 8 from 6:45 to 8 PM, Mind Builders in Wakefield invites kids and teens aged 9 through 15 to “Mind Your Beat Dance Battle!” Live DJ. Cash prizes are between $50 and $200. Entry Fee is $5 (battlers & audience). Sign up here to take part. All info here.
Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture in the South Bronx presents “The Beauty of Ballet,” a free family program for ages 4 and above presented by School of American Ballet this Saturday, March 8 at 2 PM (it’s an hour long). It’s FREE! All the info here.
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 Hudson River Museum in Yonkers, there are several exhibits to go see, including “Alvin C. Hollingsworth: And All That Jazz,” through April 27; “Clay Conversations: Ceramics for the Gilded to the Digital Age,” through March 9; “It Takes Two: Unexpected Pairings” through June 1 (photo below); and “Collection Spotlight: Cityscapes,” which is ongoing. All current exhibits listed 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 love 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 and photo below. Exhibit is FREE!
“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 recenlty went to see the opening of this really excellent exhibit, “Soundscapes,” at Upstream Gallery in Hastings-on-Hudson (just a tad north of Yonkers) . The exhibit is open through March 23. FREE!
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 Artist Talk on Thurs., March 16 at Inspiration Point in Hunts Point at 6 PM (mixer) and 7 PM (panel discussion).
Bronx Documentary Center in Melrose presents the exhibit, “School Shooting in America.” The exhibit is on through March 16. Featuring the moving 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 another photo from exhibit can be seen in recent edition.)
THEATRE
The Bartow-Pell Mansion in Pelham Bay Park in the East Bronx features the play, “Emma,” based on Jane Austen’s novel through March 9. All the details and tickets here.
MUSIC
Can’t wait to check out at least a couple of these: Pregones/PRTT, presents a South Bronx concert series called “March is Music2025!” “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.
Gary Axelbank’s “Bronx Music Podcast” invites all to the next live interview/performance lat The Artist on City Island this weekend, Sun. March 9 at 1 PM. He’ll be interviewing The Dowe Twinx, two 14-year-olds, “who were upset at the hatred and violence they saw after COVID and decided to use the music and lyrics of Hip Hop to uplift, empower, and encourage others. Admission is FREE! The Artist is located at 249 City Island Ave., in City Island, in the east Bronx. (Lots of great seafood restaurants out there by the way!)
On March 5 and 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.
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.
On Sat., March 8, the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts presents “Tribute to Selena,” by Los Chicos del 512. All the info here and here. (It’s to honor Selena Gomez, who was murdered 30 years ago.)
Recent Shot of Mine at NYBG
WORKSHOPS/CLASSES/GRANTS
If you’re a writer working on a novel or memoir, check out this FREE in-person novel-memoir writing workshop with Rob Jacklosky, an English professor at the University of Mount Saint Vincent in Riverdale. Interested writers must email 5 to 10 pages of their work (as a Word Document or PDF) to rob.jacklosky@umsv.edu by March 10. The two-day workshops are on March 25 and April 1 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Blue Door Art Center in downtown Yonkers offers FREE classes/programs for kids on Saturday mornings.
Bronx Council on the Arts has a great listing of organizations that provide various opportunities, grants and projects for artists of all kinds.
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.
Blue Door Art Center in downtown Yonkers offers FREE classes/programs for kids on Saturday mornings.
Bronx Council on the Arts has a great listing of organizations that provide various opportunities, grants and projects for artists of all kinds.
Thanks for reading, everyone. I’d love to know what you experience if you take part in any of the above. You can email me at aaaubronx@gmail.com.
Peace, Salaam, Shalom, Paz, etc.,
Jordan
Such a great newsletter. Keep going, Jordan!