We Can All Gather ...
... at Art Happenings All Around Us — 1.29.25
As you probably know, Art All Around Us is FREE to all. Its purpose is to raise awareness of the incredible events, classes, performances that exist throughout the beautiful Bronx and a bit beyond. That said, three full days a week I work on making this happen, so I’m incredibly appreciative of, and grateful to those of you who have chosen to become paid subscribers and/or have shared the newsletter with friends and colleagues. If you dig what you’re reading here, and can afford to become a paid subscriber, I can more fully commit to continue this for the foreseeable future on a weekly basis. Thanks for considering!!! —Jordan
I can’t think of a more critical time to see, and connect with art and artists of all kinds. Conversation. Observation. Ideas. Action. And even fun! It’s all so crucial — always, but especially right now. So here’s a menu for such …
PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITS/OPENINGS
Native Bronxite David Gonzalez, the long-time New York Times reporter, columnist and photographer, has a great solo exhibit (I was at the opening) at Fordham University’s Manhattan campus: “Urban Devotions: Images of Faith in the City.” It runs through Feb. 17 at Fordham’s Lipani Gallery (113 W. 60th St.). All the info here. And check out some of his excellent Times photos here. And above is one of the beautiful, moving photos from his show. FREE!
Early next month, Bronx Documentary Center in Melrose presents the exhibit, “School Shooting in America.” Featuring the moving works of Zackary Canepari, Tamir Kalifa (photo below), 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.” The opening reception of the exhibition, curated by Michael Kamber and Cynthia Rivera, is Fri., Feb. 7 from 6 to 9 PM and the exhibit is on through March 16. FREE! (BDC’s website will be down for the next few weeks as a new one is being created.) Their address is 614 Courtlandt Ave., Bronx.
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!
Speaking of WallWorks, through Feb. 15 it celebrates its 10 years in existence with a gallery retrospective at their new Inspiration Point location (!) in Hunts Point. More info here. 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!
ART EXHIBITS
Maybe you’d call this a nature exhibit, but it is artsy simultaneously (as I consider the great outdoors to be). “The Orchid Show: Mexican Modernism,” will be open at The New York Botanical Garden’s Haupt Conservatory (across from Fordham University in the northwest Bronx) from Feb. 15 to 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 Wave Hill’s Winter Workspace 2025, through March 2, several New York area artists research and develop work informed by the site, ecology and history of Wave Hill, including the work of Melinda Kiefer Santiago. “The work is relevant to Santiago’s overall work at Wave Hill, which will be incorporating locally sourced natural materials from the gardens into the work she is doing throughout the residency.” All the details here.
At the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers there are several exhibits to explore, including “Alvin C. Hollingsworth: And All That Jazz,” through April 27; “Clay Conversations: Ceramics for the Gilded to the Digital Age,” through March 9; and “Collection Spotlight: Cityscapes,” which is ongoing. All current exhibits listed here.
Through Feb. 15, the Bronx River Art Center (BRAC) presents “Between Inspiration and Collecting: The Artist’s Cabinet.” “This exhibition turns our attention to artists not only as creators but as collectors, revealing how their gathering of objects shapes their creative vision and practice.” More about the exhibit here. FREE!
BronxArtSpace presents “Drawn to Life,” an exhibit featuring artists Debbie Ali, Sakura Abdel-Rahman, Edwin "Enoch" Sanchez, and Ivan Velez Jr. It is curated by Ruddy Mejia and the exhibit continues through Feb. 8. “‘Drawn to Life’ brings together the works of four contemporary illustrators whose work is inspired by themes of tradition, fantasy, and physical relationships to one's body.” More info here. FREE!
The Derfner Judaica Museum, at the Hebrew Home in Riverdale, features “Artfully Arranged: Floral Works from the Collection” through Feb. 2, 2025. FREE!
Through March 28, the Riverfront Art Gallery (part of Yonkers Public Library) in downtown Yonkers presents the exhibit “EMPOWERED,” a group exhibit. “Art guides us to imagine new realities. It gives voice to the disappeared, the marginalized, and the unseen. EMPOWERED features artwork that guides us to imagine new realities and that allows us to be transported to worlds unknown and known. 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. FREE!
I was downtown the other night walking by F.I.T. (Fashion Institute of Technology) and saw this beautiful exhibit, “African Diaspora,” in the lobby. The work below is by Nahomi M. Mercedes De Jesús. “My design celebrates Afro-Puerto Rican culture, which is a vibrant blend of African heritage and the indigenous Taino culture.” Unfortunately, the exhibit ended today, Jan. 29, but you can see and learn more here.
“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, 2025. FREE!
The Casita Maria Gallery, of the Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education in Hunts Point, presents the exhibit “Animal Studies,” by Maria P. Vila, through March 6. The work of Vila, a teaching artist at Casita Maria, “features a series of watercolor, soft pastel and oil paintings combining animal imagery with poetry and collage as a form of healing.” FREE!
Through April 6 in Norwood, the Museum of Bronx History presents the group exhibition of Seis del Sur: “HISTORIAS: The Stories Behind the Images.” The museum is open on Saturdays, 10 AM to 4 PM. Private tours via appointment are available throughout the week. All FREE!
ART EXHIBIT OPENINGS
The exhibit, “The Art of the Wrapping,” at Lehman College Art Gallery opens on Feb. 8 and it’s opening reception is on Wed., Feb. 19 from 5 to 8 PM. FREE! All the info here.
Celebrating Black History Month, Blue Door Art Center in downtown Yonkers presents the group exhibit, “Ancestors,” with an opening this Sat., Feb. 1 from 1 to 6 PM. FREE! More info here. This piece in the exhibit is by Denise Sullivan. It was a bit of a coincidence to see the FIT exhibit (above) right after I saw this at BDAC!
THEATRE
I don’t want to miss this as I saw a similar show there last year and really loved it: “48 Hours in El Bronx,” presented by Pregones/PRTT Theatre in the South Bronx along with Harlem 9 on Feb. 23, features a “phenomenal roster of Latinx theater artists gather[ing] for an intensive theater-making marathon, creating six new short plays. This year’s plays will celebrate Bronx Healing through the poetry of NuYorican Poet’s Café’s executive director, Caridad De la Luz a.k.a. ‘La Bruja’.” There are two performances the same day, one at 6 PM and the other at 8:30 PM. All the info here.
AUDITIONS
On Thurs., Feb. 13 and and Sun., Feb. 16, Riverdale Children’s Theatre will hold auditions for two plays: “Cinderella,” for kids from third grade to eighth grade, and “Prince of Egypt,” for ninth through 12th graders. All the details right here.
MUSIC
The Bronx Music Podcast, hosted by Gary Axelbank, will be recorded live at The Artist in City Island (249 City Island Ave. in east Bronx) on Sun., Feb. 2 at 1 PM featuring guitarist and Niger, West African songwriter Abdoulaye Alhassane Toure. All welcome and it’s FREE! And here’s a video of Toure and his band performing live.
An Beal Bocht Café in Riverdale features all kinds of performances throughout the week, including open mics on Tuesdays at 8:30 P.M. All the upcoming info right here.
Merengue Con Amor 3 is back for its third annual concert to celebrate Valentine’s Day weekend on Sat., Feb. 15 at 8 PM at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts. Click here for tix and more info.
FILM
On Sat., Feb. 15, BAAD! (Bronx Academy of Arts & Dance) presents its FREE Queer Movie Marathon with three films running: “Of an Age,” at 11 AM; “Aristotle and Dante,” at 1 PM; and “The Feels,” at 3 PM. All the info here.
A NYC premiere of the film, “Studio 17, The Lost Reggae Tapes,” appears at the new Bronx Music Hall on Sat., Feb. 1. “A newly discovered treasure trove of tapes from Studio 17, or Randy’s Records located in downtown Kingston Jamaica, is the starting point for this remarkable story about a Chinese Jamaican family who helped create the music we now know as reggae.” There will be a reception with DJ Madout, Jamaican food, the screening, followed by a panel discussion. It all begins at 6 PM. All the details, and tickets ($15) here.
VALENTINE’S DAY
Van Cortlandt House Museum at Van Cortlandt Park in Riverdale hosts “Heartfelt History, Valentine Card-Making Workshop on Sat., Feb. 8 from 10 to 11:30 A.M. All ages from 5-up are welcome. “You'll learn how to make your own historic-style cards using classic techniques such as paper folding, cutouts, and paper “scrap” decoration. Discover the history of Valentine's Day through the ages and how this beloved tradition has evolved.” It’s $10 a person and tickets and more info here.
On Valentine’s Eve Friday, Feb. 14 at 7:30 PM, BAAD! (Bronx Academy for Arts & Dance), celebrates “love, community, and creativity at the opening night of the GTGB series! ‘Show Me Love’ kicks off with the unveiling of ‘Where Are Our Bronx Transgender People of Color Who Are Artists and Out,’ a stunning portrait exhibit honoring the BAAD! community. Enjoy funk disco vibes, free portraits taken by … photographer Alice O’Malley, a … performance by Barbra Herr, and an after-party under the disco ball.” Their film series on the same weekend is listed above in FILM.
And the Hearts BxArts Valentine’s Day Market 2025 is on Feb. 1, from 11 AM to 4 PM. Lots going on at it. All the info here.
EVENTS/WORKSHOPS/CLASSES FOR KIDS & ADULTS
Two events celebrating Lunar New Year are coming up at Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture: one, which is FREE, for schools and daytime groups on Tues., Feb. 11 at 11 AM; and another for families and all, is on Sun., Feb. 16 at 3 PM. Tickets here for the latter.
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, which opened a year ago. 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.
ARTIST OPPORTUNITIES
Bronx Council on the Arts has a great listing of organizations that provide various opportunities, grants and projects for artists of all kinds.
By the way, f you want to get in touch with me, you can email me at jordanmossbx@gmail.com And you can see my artwork and photography on IG and Threads @jordanmossbx. I also post fliers for art happenings on IG @artallaroundusbx.
I hope you enjoy even just one of the above this week and weekend. Art is all around us. So, check something out when you get a chance. You’ll be expanding your universe and meeting great people. :-)
Peace, Paz, Shalom, Salaam,
Jordan