In solidarity with the island of Puerto Rico, El Museo del Barrio is proud to present a special Super Sábado in collaboration with Christian Mártir, founder of Sociedad, highlighting the resilience and valuable contributions of Puerto Rican and Nuyorican artists, activists and educators to our cultural fabric. Join us for a fun-filled day of art-making, storytelling, guided tours, an installation by multidisciplinary visual artist Adrián “Viajero” Román, a movement workshop with Milteri Tucker Concepción and the Bombazo Dance Company, an interactive workshop with Valor y Cambio, a community currency project, inspired by Puerto Rican figures that combines art, storytelling, and solidarity economy principles, and more!
FREE ADMISSION.
SCHEDULE OF THE DAY
Exhibition
Culture and The People: El Museo del Barrio, 1969-2019
11:00am – 6:00pm | Las Galerías
In celebration of our 50th anniversary, Culture and the People: El Museo del Barrio, 1969-2019, reflects on the institution’s activist origins and role as a cultural and educational organization dedicated to Puerto Rican, Latinx and Latin American art and culture. The two-part exhibition features selections from the Permanent Collection, and an institutional timeline, including rare archival materials. Don’t miss this last opportunity to see both parts of the exhibition before they close on September 29!
Accessibility Program
EL MUSEO EARLY BIRDS
11:00am – 12:00pm | Las Galerías
We invite families with children on the autism spectrum to comfortably explore El Museo’s galleries before they open to the public, through friendly sensory-guided visits and hands-on art making workshops. Recommended for children ages 5 to 12 years old. Siblings welcomed.
Art Making Workshop
Neo-Borikén: Taíno Retrospectives
12:00pm – 2:30pm | Courtyard
Join us as we celebrate the diversity and importance of our Permanent Collection featuring Nitza Tufiño’s vivid work honoring Puerto Rico’s indigenous artistic heritage. Learn about the Taíno symbols represented in her contemporary interpretations and create your own Taíno-inspired print using printmaking techniques. Materials provided, all ages welcomed!
Storytelling
La Isla by Arthur Dorros
12:00 – 12:45pm & 1:00 – 1:45pm | Black Box Theater
El Museo del Barrio educator Idaliz Román Perez takes us on a sensory-rich journey of Rosalba, a little girl who discovers the island of Puerto Rico through her abuelita‘s eyes! During her stay, Rosalba visits relatives and experiences the beautiful terrain of the island from the lush, tropical rain forest to the bustling old city. Along the way, Rosalba and her abuelita make a quick stop near a busy fruit market, then cool off with a swim in the turquoise sea filled with colorful fish.
Installation
Casita de Eulogia by Adrián “Viajero” Román
12:00 – 12:30pm & 1:00 – 1:30pm | El Café
Casita de Eulogia is an installation dedicated to Viajero’s paternal great-grandmother, Eulogia González Román, whose home in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico sustained roof and internal damage from hurricane María and was knocked down due to water rot and mold. Join us for an artist-led tour of the installation and a show and tell of a collection of artifacts the artist collected throughout his journey across the island post-hurricane María. Visitors are encouraged to write messages to those affected by hurricane María directly on the walls of the casita as a way to show support and solidarity. This installation is a part Viajero’s Picking Up The Pieces, a series of works providing an intimate view of life post-María and of a “new normal” for Puerto Rican people.
Guided Tour
Culture and the People: El Museo del Barrio, 1969-2019
1:00 – 1:30pm & 2:00 – 2:30pm | Las Galerías
Join us for a guided tour of our 50th anniversary exhibition led by Curator Susanna Temkin.
Interactive Workshop
Valor y Cambio
12:00 – 4:00pm | Lobby
Originally launched in Puerto Rico, and later making its NYC debut at Loisaida Cultural Center as part of their recent exhibition Pasado y Presente: Art After the Young Lords 1969-2019, Valor y Cambio is coming to El Barrio (East Harlem)! The interactive installation seeks to challenge economic inequities though investigating what participants value, and introduce a community currency, peso of Puerto Rico, as a way to share valuable stories and practice exchange-base economies. Participants are prompted to record their responses about what they value into an ATM-like machine. Once recorded, the machine dispenses a bill or “peso,” which can be used in La Tienda, the museum’s gift shop for 10% off and free admission for two, as well as other locations throughout El Barrio. All ages welcomed.
La Tienda Sale
Dique Pop-Up: Con Caché
12:00 – 4:00pm | La Tienda
Our friends at Sociedad will have their merch available for sale in La Tienda for a special pop-up. Stop by and support!
Movement Workshop
Bomba: Make That Drum Talk! ®
2:30 – 3:30pm | El Café
Afro-Puerto Rican Bomba and Afro-Caribbean traditional folkloric elements come to life in a movement workshop with Milteri Tucker Concepción and the Bombazo Dance Company! Participants will gather to celebrate life through traditional rhythms, singing and dancing to live drumming. All ages welcomed.
Walking Tour
Mapping Resistance: The Young Lords in El Barrio
1:35 – 2:35pm & 3:00 – 4:00pm | El Barrio
As part of El Museo del Barrio’s partnership with artist Miguel Luciano, the museum is delighted to offer a free walking tour of his public art project featuring the work of Hiram Maristany, the official photographer of the Young Lords Party. The tour will highlight the works on view on 111th Street, between Madison Avenue and 3rd Avenue, and will require walking to the various sites. Tour will be in English and will meet in El Museo’s Lobby.
Concert
Boogie Down All-Stars
4:00 – 5:00pm | El Teatro (Doors open at 3pm – first-come first-served basis)
El Museo is excited to host Boogie Down All-Stars, also known as La Sonora Bronxeña, an Afro-Caribbean salsa collective based in the South Bronx with a focus on community education, ancestral homage, and experimental exploration of diasporic music, spirituality, and traditions. Founded August 2018 between Elliott Ray Lassi-Lugo and Rosangelica Lopez-Merlano, the BDAS gathered local members of the community and New York City with the intention of honoring the Diaspora by sharing history, comedies and tragedies through the use of music.