The Bronx Culture Trolley rolls again on Wednesday, December 3 offering a variety of free family activities along the South Bronx Cultural Corridor. Trolley night activities include ten art exhibitions, a book signing event at the Bronx Museum of the Arts, holiday shopping at the Artisans Boutique, a trip to the Alexander Avenue Art & Antiques District, poetry reading, and some festive holiday medleys by Bomba Yo on board the trolley and at a number of stops along the way. As always, the night will wind down at Sweetwaters Bar & Grill with smooth jazz and fine food and drink. The Bronx Culture Trolley is a program of the Bronx Council on the Arts (BCA).
December 3’s trolley begins at the Longwood Art Gallery at Hostos Community College, 450 Grand Concourse at 149th Street, at 5 p.m. with a Meet & Greet reception and a viewing of Graffiti: Spirit of an Age @ 40 x 10. Curated by Ezo Wippler, this exhibition highlights works of 10 artists that began their careers in their teens making graffiti and as time has progressed, have expanded their visual vernacular to include other forms of expression such as drawing, graphic design, painting and sculpture.
Also in the gallery is a special poetry reading by Americo Casiano Jr. and Louis Reyes Rivera as part of Mosaic Literary Magazine’s 10th Anniversary celebration.
In the Hostos Repertory Theater, enjoy a performance of Ain’t Easy presented by Mass Transit Street Theater and Hostos Center for Arts & Culture. This multi-media, storytelling play by Lyn Pyle with Karen Wilson & Aisha Norris is the real-life story of a youth incarcerated in maximum security for killing a classmate in self-defense. His story is interwoven with the stories of four Bronx teens, their attraction to violent response, and how they opt for a “cool” alternative. The play features live rap & film and is performed by John Rankin, Aisha Norris, Tyquan Payne, Jahnesha Huertas and Johanny Paulino.
While you’re at Hostos, don’t forget to visit the Artisans Boutique where you can begin your holiday shopping early. The Artisans Boutique offers imaginative bronxArtworks creations in all price ranges that are yours for the browsing and for the buying.
The trolley bell’s ring (at 5:30, 6:30, and 7:30 p.m.) is your free ticket to a cultural tour along the South Bronx Cultural Corridor of the lower Grand Concourse. Admission to all participating venue attractions is free.
FIRST STOP: Bronx Museum of the Arts, 1040 Grand Concourse at E. 165th Street, where you can join the museum as it continues its First Wednesdays Book Signings, this month featuring Irete Lazo’s The Accidental Santera. Ms. Lazo’s novel explores the secrets of Afro-Cuban Santera through the character Gabrielle, who struggling to build a career as a Latina scientist, while coping with her third miscarriage and trying to resuscitate her marriage, realizes that becoming a Santera is not in her plans. You can also tour the museum and view their current exhibition Street Art, Street Life: From the 1950s to Now.
NEXT STOP: Bronx Museum Project Space, 11 Bruckner Boulevard at the corner of Lincoln Avenue, for a viewing of Los Machos de Mi Vida (The Machos in My Life). This solo exhibition by Wanda Raimundi-Ortiz is presented by Wepa Woman Productions as part of Pedigree.
NEXT STOP: Haven Arts Gallery, 50 Bruckner Boulevard Building A, for a viewing of 3, an exhibition showcasing a dynamic blend of three varying approaches to contemporary photography through the works of Aurelija Cepulinskaite, Iannis Delatolas and Robert Flynt.
NEXT STOP: Bronx Blue Bedroom Project, 309 Alexander Avenue #3A, where you can view Dias Especiales (Special Days) – An installation by Jessica Lagunas. The installation consists of a full-size sheet on a bed where the artist printed etchings inspired by medical books’ images of biopsies from different menstrual cycle days. For ino call (347) 776-7504.
NEXT STOP: Alexander Avenue Antiques District, Alexander’s Café at 129 Alexander Avenue, Books, Notes & News at 137 Alexander Avenue, Custom Design Studio at 49 Bruckner Blvd., Thrift World Antiques at 122 Alexander Avenue, and LR Photography Studio at 137 Alexander Avenue featuring a group show of six artists, titled The Anti-Sobro Show, which will touch on themes of the environment, politics, current events and American culture. See the show upstairs at 137 Alexander Avenue.
NEXT STOP: Bruckner Gallery at the Bruckner Bar & Grill, 1 Bruckner Boulevard, for a viewing of work by Italian artist Fausto Holban.
FINAL STOP of the evening: Sweetwaters Bar & Grill, 2576 Third Avenue at 139th Street, where you can wind down your trolley night with fine food and drink while enjoying the smooth jazz sound of Ginetta’s Vendetta.
For additional information on the Bronx Culture Trolley and the Bronx Cultural Card (which offers percentage off discounts at participating Bronx organizations and business establishments), call (718) 931-9500, ext. 33.
