By Natalie N. Caro

Kant argues that “art can be tasteful (that is, agree with [artistic] judgment) and yet be ‘soulless’” –But what is it exactly, that can give an often motionless object like art “soul?” What the hell is soul, any-how?

 

I wasn’t thinking about Kant as I pulled the beautiful fabric donated to us by Material for the Arts by way of Bronx Museum out of the Artist Craftman’s Supply Bag. An array of tulle, and bouquets of flower patterned cotton spread across the table alongside stings of leather and copper to tie them together later. We began making bows, and slowly, a tribe of toddlers approached us, escorting their mothers to the cornucopia. Our activity that Sunday, we explained, was making costumes for us to wear in the parade.

 

Parents soon joined and created costumes of their own, one mother grabbed a piece of white tulle and made a head wrap for herself. She smiled pleased, seemingly, with the way it turned out. Her daughter collected pieces of the long lace she hoped to fashion into a dress with grown up help. Elizabeth Ortiz scooped up and wrapped and tied until something out of a fashion show cat walk appeared before us.

 

On the other side of the table and makeshift wall, Trevon Blondet asked Boogie Bronxites, what was their art and Yolanda Rodriguez, collected little gems in jars as they answered who did art at home. Holding a tablet in hand, they told us what their art was as the cameras flashed.

No one was thinking about soul under the heat of a Bronx afternoon sun, not really, and yet there it stood before us. It was found in the way we shared our gifts with each other. We’ve become so accustomed to thinking of art in binaries, much like we view the world. Things are either: good or bad, high or low, right or wrong. We very infrequently allow ourselves to exist in ambiguity or as I like to think of it, imagination, the place of possibilities. This Sunday let us live there for a while, and it was Artful, and more importantly,  it was soulful.  ​

 

by John Maney Jr.

 

May 29th was a lovely, sunny, summerlike day, prefect for the first 2016 Boogie on the Boulevard, in the Bronx. The event begun with setting up tents, tables, and chairs, along the Grand Concourse, starting at 162nd Street. And, of course, there was also the issuing of the coveted pink Boogie on the Boulevard, volunteer t-shirts. Pink not being a natural color choice for me, I tried my best to rock and wear it with pride. After all I was representing the BxArts Factory, and we were at the first tables along the Grand Concourse, right across from the main stage.

The BxArts Factory conducted several fun activities for people as they walked up, and down the Boulevard. At one table Liz and Natalie helped children, and some adults, make beautiful, fancy costumes. While at another table Karen painted old tires to be made into planters. At the table where Omesh and I worked, we took a smiley face/ frowning face survey on whether people did art at home. Then, once the survey was completed, participants wrote on eraser board what their art was, held the boards proudly up to their chests, and Trevon snapped pictures of them.

While all these things were happening Alexis, Twahira, and our tireless leader Laura floated from table to table, making sure everything was running smoothly. And, from what I could tell most everything did. It was a beautiful day, and I was glad to have visited with the over 50 people who stopped by, to spend a little time with the BxArts Factory.
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The Boogie on the Boulevard 2015 was a tremendous success!  More than 7,000 people participated in the three Sundays and enjoyed of many activities offered by numerous organizations! BxArts Factory is so grateful to have being one of the many groups that helped this community effort be realized.  We participated as a partner and helped coordinate the activities in the BxArts Factory Block!  We have a tremendous amount of people to thank!

First we would like to express our gratitude to Laura Ayala, Lauren Click, Hatuey Ramos-Fermin and Elizabeth Hamby for their effortless commitment to making this event happen.  With them came an incredible amount of great people from the Bronx Museum of the Arts and Transportation Alternatives!  We specially would like to thank the many volunteers, artists and organizations that helped us made the art block a place full of community, creativity and colorful bright smiles!

Thank you so very much to:
·         ¡El Barrio Pinta!
·         Artist & Craftsman
·         Beauty Box Performance, Cat Del Buono
·         Blick Art Materials
·         Bronx Heroes Comics
·         Casita Maria Center for Arts and Education 
·         Collage, Ana Rebeca Castillo
·         Comic Culture, Planet Bronx Productions
·         Crocheting for Adults, Ingrid Gomez
·         Eve’s Fault 
·         Finger Knitting for Kids, Ingrid Gomez
·         Handmade book making, Taller Asiray, Yarisa Colon
·         Ismael Checo
·         Mobile Print Power, Patrick Rowe
·         Museum on the Go Bus, Bronx Children’s Museum
·         Pelliza performance, Gina Goico
·         Skate Deck Live Painting by various artists: Alex Fernandez, Alexis Mendoza, Elizabeth Ortiz,  Giannina Gutierrez, Karen Pedrosa, Laura Alvarez, Leo Mojica, Louis Nieves, Natalia Zamparini, Shak Castillo, Steven McKenzie, Vanezza Cruz, Xavier Figueroa, Yazmeen Collazo
·         Skateboard Demonstration & classes, Heavenbound7 Sk8 Shop
·         The Bronx Museum of the Arts
·         The Gift to Empower
·         The POINT CDC
·         Trevon Blondet, Photographer
·         Women in Comics, WinC Collective
·         Yana Studios, Kids Yoga and Mandalas creation
·         Zulu beadwork, Zola Dube

Hope to have you all on the Boogie next year!!!

 

Boogie on the Boulevard is finally here!  We can’t wait to start the fun!  This year we are lucky to be partnering with some amazing artists and organizations to create a BxArts “Factory on the Concourse” featuring artists creating live art, teaching workshops and engaging the community through creativity! A studio/gallery outdoor experience for the community!
Throughout the three Sundays in August (2nd, 9th and 16th), BxArts Factory will enjoy of the creativity and talents of:

1. Ingrid Gomez- Finger Knitting for Kids and Crochet for Adults
2. Gina Goico – Pelliza performance and community project
3. Karen Pedrosa – Live Painting
4. El Barrio Pinta, Giannina Gutierrez and DJ Sojal Fortune– Live painting by various artists and music
5. Artists & Craftsman, White Plains Road, Bronx – Workshop stations
6. Comic Culture, Planet Bronx Productions – Workshops
7. Bronx Heroes Comics – Workshops
8. Yarisa Colon, Taller Asiray – Handmade book making
9. Ana Rebecca Castillo – Live painting and collage making
10. Blick art Materials, 23rd Street – Workshop stations
11. Women in Comics, NYC Collective International
12. Bobby Gonzalez – Poetry Open Mic
13. HeavenBound7 SK8 Shop– Skate Board demonstration and live painting of skate board decks by various artists

The BxArts Factory area will be located between 166th Street and McClellan.  In addition to our programming, the Arts section, will include stations by organizations such as the Bronx Children’s Museum, Andrew Freedman Home, The POINT CDC, The Bronx Museum of the Arts, The Gift to Empower, LAGDesigns, and Casita Maria Center for Arts and Education. There will also be a Free Open Library!! Various individual artists will be participating as well.
For a complete list of participating artists and organizations please visit www.bronxmuseum.org/boogieblvd or www.boogieontheboulevard.org

We hope to see you all there with all your family! Remember that Boogie on the Boulevard will also have fitness and health activities, live music, poetry performances, sports, biking, street games, and many other fun activities all FREE from 12 to 4 p.m. on Sundays, August 2nd, 9th and 16th

Hashtag your photos! #boogieblvd and #bxartsfactory