At Passages in the Bronx

Memorial. My wedding dress, fabric, doll, plastic flowers. 2007

A review from The Bronx Art Exchange: 

The Andrew Freedman House is ON FIRE: New Latino Art Exhibition!

Visiones Culturales, launched their exhibition, "Passages" yesterday in the stately manor that is the Andrew Freedman Home. This is one of the best exhibitions currently running in New York City at the moment. It's up for a limited time and I HIGHLY recommend you RUN to see this... Read more

Come by today for bomba music and the art market! I'll be there! 10-12 a.m.

Passages at the Andrew Freedman Home in the Bronx

An invitation from Yolanda L. Rodríguez, MA Ed.and Josué Guarionex Colón:

We would like to invite you to the Opening Night Event for our organization’s latest event "Passages: A Collective Exhibition”, to take place from September 26th to October 10th at the Andrew Freedman Home in the Bronx.

Just in time for Hispanic Heritage Month a Collective of 20 Hispanic artists will explore the human condition at its raw state and how art is the passage to a different Hispanic experience. The art pieces will explore the things to which the human gravitates or holds on to when emotionally charged (religion, politics or social interactions, nostalgia, lust, passion, writing, music, dance).

This event will be a collaboration of artists utilizing a variety of mediums and performance arts. During the 2 weeks of exhibition, Visiones Culturales, LLC, has also planned numerous art workshops for the community and cultural events. These events will be a collaboration between many non-profit organizations and the collective of artists. All of which are committed to and engaged in using their art in many other humanitarian and civic organizations. These are artists giving back to the community!!!

Some of the events include: Ghetto Brothers, Bomba Yo, Workshops by Tanya Torres, Carolina Bermudez, Yarisa Colon; Nilka Martel (Founder of G.I.V.E. Getting Involved, Virginia Ave. Efforts); among others, Noche de Poesía y Música Latinoamericana in collaboration with Asociación Internacional de Poetas y Escritores Hispanos AIPEH NY and Los Chamanes music group, Artist Marqueta in collaboration with the Puerto Rican Institute for the Development of the Arts (PRIDA), Live Art event in collaboration with YUCA Art Project, Artist Q & A and Short Film presentation, Dance Performers, DJs and Live Music.

The paintings, photographs, sculptures, movies, poems and multimedia displays will be curated by Yolanda L. Rodriguez, MA Ed. Installations will be arranged by the collaborating team of our Art Director Josue Guarionex Colon and his team. Artist will include the following names:

1. Yarisa Colón espacioasiray.blogspot.com
2. Josué Guarionex www.josueguarionex.weebly.com
3. Justo A. Carreras www.justocarreras.com
4. Yolanda L. Rodríguez www.thesoundsofmialma.com
5. Giannina Gutierrez www.artbygia.com
6. Tanya Torres www.tanyatorres.blogspot.com
7. Quique Rivera Rivera www.vimeo.com/quiquerivera
8. Norka Pérez www.tallerruidodeolas.blogspot.com
9. Aydasara Ortega www.aydasara.blogspot.com
10. Rubén Rivera www.rubenart.com
11. José Antonio Ortiz Pagan www.corruptedtime.com
12. George Zavala
13. Yunior Chiqui Mendoza
14. Fanny Montero www.lacamaradefanny.com
15. Carolina Bermúdez
16. Roberto Silva www.robertosilva-art.blogspot.com
17. Hiram Melendez www.hiramsart.com/index.html
18. William Bass Morales www.portalesdepuertorico.com//REVISTAHOLAPR/BASS.html
19. Yehimar Abyisys www.yehimar.com/
20. Michelle Ortíz www.michelleangela.com/ 

See interviews with the artists in the Visiones Culturales You Tube Channel.

Upcoming Passages Exhibition in the Bronx

The Things that Keep Me Going

A Cacibayagua necklace brought as a gift for the women of Dominican Republic who participate in a project created by Dr. Vilma Caban-Vazquez, Ed.D. that promotes economic empowerment for battered women. See her website here: http://doctoravazquez.wordpress.com

"Thank you so much Tanya Torres!!! As advocacy researcher for The Latina Project: "Breaking the Cycle & Breaking the Silence of Domestic Violence" I am deeply grateful for your artistic contribution to my project. 

Tanya Torres consented for me to use her inspirational and cultural iconic figure—Cacibayagua: Taina Goddess— in any promotional literature and research reports sharing the worked centered on The Latina Domestic Violence Research Project. 

In August 2013, when the research team traveled back to Bonao, Dr. Caban-Vazquez delivered an inspirational gift especially designed to inspire the ten domestic violence victims. Tanya Torres lovingly hand–crafted unique wearable art necklaces with the inspirational image of Cacibayagua— the mythical Taina Goddess. Traditional Dominican folklore describes how Cacibayagua is the original life source of the indigenous Taino Indians that emerged from her beautiful cave. The inspirational intention behind sharing this gift is to encourage the women. In the face of adversity and their personal decision to renounce the economic stranglehold of their abusers, these empowered women can recall the legend of Cacibayagua. The necklace signifies their promise and legacy as Latina women and descendants of the rich Taino culture. It is a symbolic reminder to tap into the spiritual strength of their inner Taina goddess. This artistic gift serves as a beautiful and concrete reminder of their legacy and the promise of their destiny as “empowered” women and not “beaten” women! Tanya Torres...YOU MADE THIS HAPPEN:-)"

No I did not! You did, Dra. Váquez!!! And I'm honored that you thought my art worthy of such a beautiful cause. Thank you.