THE UPPER EAST SIDE
Today we traveled to East Harlem, visiting the Museum of New York, The Bario, Central Park and The MMoA (Museum of Modern Art). The weather given to us on this day was a cool 97* with a heat index of 109*.
The Museum of New York and The Bario were large Buildings taking up much space, the programs and activities provided by these museums have had a major impact on the positive neighborhood changes that have transpired. Beginning first with the Museum of New York, the Blue Guide (p. 376) prepared me for the twenty-two minute movie of New York City’s history of growth and change.
East Harlem, part Genovese crime family and part Hispanic was where we bagan. The museum of New York shows a new housing trend, claiming, New York City is the home of the wealthy, white, young female. Those that choose to be in this loop and cannot afford it are migrating to the outskirts of the city; ie: Brooklyn, East Harlem, Long Island City ect; people want to live in or close to the city.
East Harlem has a large amount of housing projects; the projects were built to supply the poor with a place to live. Unfortunately, the projects breed drugs and violence there is a push to culturally combine neighborhoods and provide micro – housing in the near future.
Today we traveled to East Harlem, visiting the Museum of New York, The Bario, Central Park and The MMoA (Museum of Modern Art). The weather given to us on this day was a cool 97* with a heat index of 109*.
The Museum of New York and The Bario were large Buildings taking up much space, the programs and activities provided by these museums have had a major impact on the positive neighborhood changes that have transpired. Beginning first with the Museum of New York, the Blue Guide (p. 376) prepared me for the twenty-two minute movie of New York City’s history of growth and change.
East Harlem, part Genovese crime family and part Hispanic was where we bagan. The museum of New York shows a new housing trend, claiming, New York City is the home of the wealthy, white, young female. Those that choose to be in this loop and cannot afford it are migrating to the outskirts of the city; ie: Brooklyn, East Harlem, Long Island City ect; people want to live in or close to the city.
East Harlem has a large amount of housing projects; the projects were built to supply the poor with a place to live. Unfortunately, the projects breed drugs and violence there is a push to culturally combine neighborhoods and provide micro – housing in the near future.
The Museum of New York, spoke of the changing landscape of New York City, foreseeing the driving force as females, uninterested in marriage. The new image is youth living on the outskirts, gentrifying neighborhoods and living in tiny living spaces of 325 feet: this is called micro housing. Micro-housing can be a temporary transition for the young and a good permanent transition for the elderly. While at the Museum a twenty two minute movie showed the beginning of NYC beginning with the City of Strangers 1825-1865 and ending with the Twenty-First Century City: this was nice as the film brought our experienced together.
The Museo De Bario (Museum of the neighborhood) is a neighborhood museum that inspires of neighborhood artists. Maryellen, our tour guide, brought us through a small part of East Harlem. Maryellen, brought us to the mural created by Hank Prussing. Prussing’s, Spirit of East Harlem, finished in 1973, depicts neighborhood residents participating in various activities outside of the home. Manny Dega, a respected artist today, was unknown at the time of Hank Prussing’s Spirit of East Harlem apprenticed with Prussing and thus, helped to create the piece, immortalizing the people of the neighborhood on the buildings bricks.
In regards to Manny Vegas work our tour guide, Maryellen explained, Vega places an arrow on his pieces commemorating his late wife. Different literature discusses Vega leaving a crab, his wife’s horoscope sign, to commemorate her.
In regards to Manny Vegas work our tour guide, Maryellen explained, Vega places an arrow on his pieces commemorating his late wife. Different literature discusses Vega leaving a crab, his wife’s horoscope sign, to commemorate her.
Our tour guide brought us to the Modesto “tin” Flores, this is a garden that honors women. Upon entering the area the city becomes quiet; the sound of a brook with a child’s play alligator are the first encounter. The garden presents a small arched bridge and a sculpture that represents a woman’s fallopian tubes. The gardens highlight is the painting by Yasmin Hernandez and the common link the women in the painting and the artist had in common: all three women suffered a miscarriage.
Fallopian Tubes From here we proceeded to the Graffiti Hall of Fame, a legal place for the graffiti artist to paint. The wall is part of the Jackie Robinson High School. Then on to Don Jorge and his Botanic Ajista. Mister Jorge, a colorful man taught of his long history in East Harlem and the use of old fashioned medicine using herbs and sprinkled with faith and hope.
Don Jorge also explained that candles represent saints, and Saint Anthony is the keeper of the gate and opens the twenty one paths. This is a Dominican voodoo religion and Don Jorge is as I see it is a Houngan; a male Voodoo Priest.
Don Jorge also explained that candles represent saints, and Saint Anthony is the keeper of the gate and opens the twenty one paths. This is a Dominican voodoo religion and Don Jorge is as I see it is a Houngan; a male Voodoo Priest.
Graffiti Rules 
After lunch we proceeded through Central Park, had a class in the park then traveled onward to the MMoA (Museum of Modern Art). The MMoA is hosting PUNK: Chaos to Couture; a history of punk fashion from the 1970s and its influence on designers today. From this point I separated from the group and went to explore the Medieval Art Exhibit.
Two pieces caught my eye on this trip: The Ivory Rosary with Gilded-Silver Chain; The rosary’s inscription reads “Think on Death” and “This is What You Will Be”. The rosary was carved in Germany between 1500 and 1525: this piece explains that life and death are intimately connected. The image of half skull and half living person serve to remind one that life only lasts a short time and death is permanent so live a virtuous life so one may dwell in the house of the lord.
The second piece that caught my eye was the diptych “Boxwood Rosary Bead with Scenes From Christ’s Passion”. This interesting piece is of great mystery to me, it is very small and designed with intricate details of Christ’s Passion. A diptych is an object with two flat hinged plates attached. Next to the diptych is a triptych which is an art piece with three hinged panels. These are a gothic art created in Greece during the 1500s. Each micro-sculpted piece is carved in intricately detailed sections then placed in the shell piece by piece. In the diptych here Christ is seen on the cross dying, while chaos is ensuing around him. The Roman Soldiers are in the forefront, some riding their horses. In the triptych the scene is much of the same with both style and design.
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