Cultural Celebrations
Museum Mile 2011
One day a year, nine of the country's finest museums that call Fifth Avenue home open their doors for free, for New Yorkers and visitors to enjoy a mile-long block party and visual arts celebration. Come join this traffic-free, music- and art-filled fiesta that takes over Museum Mile from 82nd to 105th street.
Start the party at El Museo, and be one of the first to see EL MUSEO’S BIENAL: The (S) Files on its first day open to the public. Our sixth biennial takes on a broad exploration of the visual energy, events and aesthetics of the street. The exhibition features the most innovative, cutting-edge art created by 75 Latino, Caribbean, and Latin American artists currently working in the New York area.
Celebrate Museum Mile with us as we take over la calle with music, art-making, dance, and performance art!
SCHEDULE OF EL MUSEO ACTIVITIES
| Time | Activity |
| 5:30pm | Sound presentation: DJ Sonidero Potencia Latina |
| 6:00pm |
-On view: EL MUSEO'S BIENAL: The (S) Files opens to the public!; VOCES Y VISIONES: Signs, Systems and the City in El Museo del Barrio's Permanent Collection |
| 6:30pm | Performance: Capoeira and West African dance by Harlem's Wadleigh Secondary School for the Performing and Visual Arts, in conjunction with Museum for African Art. |
| 7:00pm | Performance art: Artist Rafael Sánchez re-creates Papo Colo's 1977 piece Superman 51 |
| 7:15pm | Live music: Johnny Colón and his Orchestra |
| 8:15pm | Sound Presentation: DJ Sonidero Potencia Latina |
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Sonidero Potencia Latina
Potencia Latina brings his sonidero style to 5th Avenue! Well known for his presentación de Sonido, Fausto Salazar will bring his microphonic skills to the stage. Be prepared to send mensajes musicales to friends and family, and of course - to dance! [visit MySpace page]
Museum for African Art
The Museum for African Art presents dance performances by West African and Capoeira dance students at Wadleigh Secondary School for the Performing and Visual Arts. You won't want to miss a beat as dancers pulse out traditional and improvised movement to live percussion.
Johnny Colón
Johnny Colón welcomes summer to East Harlem with his original Salsa rhythms and Boogaloo! This famed pianist, trombonist, composer, and singer is widely considered the father of Boogaloo, a fusion of son cubano with pop soul, R&B, and other Afro-Latin influences! [watch YouTube clip]
Papo Colo
Only presented during Museum Mile, Sanchez will reenact Papo Colo's Superman 51 from 1977, an endurance piece in which he ran on the West Side Highway, dragging 51 pieces of lumber until he collapsed, exhausted. As part of the reenactment, Sanchez will run the length of Museum Mile, ending at El Museo with 51 pieces of lumber. The piece serves as a commentary/exploration of Puerto Rico's status as a commonwealth, colonization, and culture.