Exploring new avenues to bring art to the community in the era of CoViD-19, Casita Maria offers in person private gallery tours and timed visits of the Brotherhood exhibition by artists Rodríguez Calero and Layqa Nuna Yawar. Additional virtual events including a play screening, open mic night, and closing reception mirror the art exhibition’s theme that celebrates positive male identities.
Artwork, featured in the Brotherhood exhibition at Casita Maria’s art gallery at 928 Simpson Street, portrays positive imagery of Black and Brown boys and men as creative and gentle individuals in healthy relationships. The imagery intentionally contrasts distorted notions of manhood presented to young men at school, in the community, and through the media. The gallery installation and its related public programs explore the concept of brotherhood by calling on viewers and participants to begin a dialogue that questions how members of a community can foster warmth and equality toward one another, regardless of their differences.
The exhibition will be on display until April 01, 2021 with timed visits, available for free by appointment. To learn more, please visit here.
For more information on Casita Maria’s Brotherhood season, or to set up a gallery tour, please e-mail Gail Heidel at gheidel@casitamaria.org.
On Saturday, January 23, 2021, at 07:00 p.m., Casita Maria will screen the play “Where You From? What You Be About?” by playwright Eric Aviles on Bronxnet and Casita Maria’s official Facebook page: @casitamariabx. The autobiographical solo play tells a story of how one man and his family deal with the far-reaching effects of gun and gang violence. The screening will be followed by a live talk back on ZOOM. About his play, Aviles states, “As an artist and educator I felt an urgency to create a play that addresses the issues of economic and racial inequities, and the need for positive transformation for our young people.”
Throughout the month of February a writing workshop will be held for the young men in Casita Maria’s College Bound program. Participants will meet weekly to express their personal narratives through poetry, rhymes, and monologues. The workshop will provide participants a space to unpack their experiences with positive male identity and male toxicity to form their own creative work that addresses these themes. The workshop will conclude with a culminating event and open mic on March 3rd from 6-8pm where the young men will showcase their work to a public audience via Zoom and Facebook Live.
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About Casita Maria Center For Arts & Education
Casita Maria Center For Arts & Education is the first and oldest Latino 501(c)(3) charity in NYC, founded in 1934.
The South Bronx-based community arts and educational organization presents diverse, contemporary visual and performing arts and education programming for all ages.
Casita Maria creates a safe and welcoming community, enriching and uplifting youth and families towards success, through shared cultural, art and educational experiences and programs.
Location:
Casita Maria Center For Arts & Education
928 Simpson Street
Bronx, NY 10459
Tel.: 718-589-2230
E–mail: info@casitamaria.org
