2018, Bilingual, Books, Children Friendly, Education, Events, Family Activities, Festival, Film, Lower East Side, Neighborhood, New York History, Now, Partners, Partnerships, Performance, Photography, Poetry, Politics, Screenings, Storytelling, Style, Talk / Panel, Visual Art, Youth

CHARAS IS ALIVE ON SPACESHIP EARTH

Posted on by Alejandro

CHARAS IS ALIVE ON SPACESHIP EARTH

A project by: Matthew Mottel in collaboration with Loisaida Inc., La Plaza Cultural de Armando Perez and DIAP (Digital Intermedia MFA program at City College)

Programming from May 5 through May 12, 2018 from 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm 

Exhibition Open by Appointment from Wednesday, May 30th onward. Contact us to schedule a visit.

The history of dome building on the LES goes back to when CHARAS built domes in collaboration with Buckminster Fuller in 1972/73. Syeus Mottel documented this effort in his photo-journalism book CHARAS THE IMPROBABLE DOME BUILDERS , first published in 1974 and now re published in 2017 by Song Cave Press & Pioneer Works.

Through a collaborative project between Loisaida Inc., La Plaza Cultural de Armando Perez and DIAP (Digital Intermedia MFA program at City College), artist and researcher Matthew Mottel (Syeus Mottel’s son) will build 2 geodesic domes (one at La Plaza and the other at the Loisaida Inc. Center’ courtyard) as an interactive art installation. In interviewing Carlos “Chino” Garcia as part of his research, Matthew was told that the domes CHARAS built functioned as both recreational activity spaces and as experimental examples of how to build disaster relief housing in non urban areas. The same functions apply now. The dome at La Plaza Cultura, will be seen from the street, with high visibility. This will bring people to the other dome in the courtyard and exhibition happening at Loisaida Center, which will feature a more detailed documentation of the original events of 1972-73.

This work highlights the achievements of CHARAS and hopefully expands the pressure on the NYC mayoral office to follow through on their promise to re-acquire El Bohio for the Loisaida community.

The week of the exhibition opening, many public performances, talks and workshops will transpire in both the Loisaida Center dome, and at La Plaza Cultural. These events will be influenced by the type of programming that happened during the 20+ years of events and exhibitions of El Bohio before being pushed out of its iconic and historic location on 9th Street, formerly known as P.S. 64.

As a sneak preview of the thesis exhibition, you can see one of the geodesic domes installed at pioneer works, today!, april 8th during their second sunday’s program!

Resources:

The Improbable Dome Builders

Matthew’s essay on the book.

The video that will be screened during the exhibition opening; CHARAS IS ALIVE ON SPACESHIP EARTH –  Wednesday, May 9 at 6:00 pm

Schedule, Programming & Activities:

  • Saturday, May 5 at 6:00 pm – Archive exhibition of the 1972/73 CHARAS Geodesic Dome opens during Fiestas de Cruz at Loisaida Center.
  • Sunday, May 6 at 2:00 pm – Dome Building Workshop where participants will assist in the building of a 12′ geodesic dome. There will also be a special screening of archival footage from Bucky Fuller. 
  • Wednesday, May 9 at 6:00 pm – Geodesic Domes unveiled with exhibition at Loisaida Center and La Plaza Cultural with performance by poet Edwin Torres.
  • Thursday, May 10 at 12:00 pm – Exhibition hours at Loisaida Center.
  • Friday, May 11 at 6:00 pm – Exhibition hours at Loisaida Center + Oral history project of the Lower East Side  featuring interview with Chino Garcia by the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, with documentary screening of Matthew Mottel’s video CHARAS IS ALIVE ON SPACESHIP EARTH at 6:00 pm.
  • Saturday, May 12 at 12:00 pm – Exhibition hours at Loisaida Center + performances in the afternoon thru evening at La plaza Cultural and Loisaida Center Courtyard.
2017, Bilingual, Caribbean, Caribbean Heritage, Children Friendly, Education, Events, Film, Neighborhood, Past, Screenings, Storytelling

Project Ñ – Film Screening

Posted on by Alejandro

DESCRIPTION:

Loisaida Inc. & Project Ñ are proud to present a special screening of:

The ñ Experience, is an engaging 90-minute presentation that combines a screening of the documentary “being ñ” infused with directors cut-style commentary from the film’s star and co-director Denise Soler Cox, offering viewers a unique perspective on the film and an unforgettable live experience.

In 90 minutes, Denise leads the audience on a powerful journey of cultural self-discovery and personal reflection. The result is a heartfelt, humorous and interactive experience that offers audiences a refreshing perspective on how to talk about culture and the feelings we all share around acceptance.

DATE AND TIME

Tue, March 7, 2017

6:00 PM – 8:00 PM EST

Add to Calendar

LOCATION

Loisaida, Inc

710 East 9th Street

New York, NY 10009

View Map

Events, Film, Lower East Side, Neighborhood, New York History, Past, Photography, Poetry, Politics, Storytelling, Talk / Panel, Theater, Visual Art, Youth

Walled Worlds

Posted on by Alejandro

Loisaida Inc. and Atomic Culture are proud to present:

Walled Worlds: Border Publics, Cultural Activism and Urban Planning.

Panel: Thursday, February 9th at 6:00 pm.
Loisaida Inc. – 710 East 9th Street New York, NY 10009

Renowned scholars, artists, cultural activists and critics–Ricardo Dominguez, Teddy Cruz, Fonna Forman and Ed Morales–ccome together to discuss their distinct yet cross-cultural perspectives on the intersections of arts and culture, activism and policy, and forced migration and community building, utilizing examples of neighborhoods including the Lower East Side.

We will consider how might our cultural activism, advocacy, and participatory planning begin working to create stronger collaborative movements and build solidarity within and beyond our multiple communities?

In the face of political uncertainties, we will also consider what tactics and strategies work to strengthen cultural equity advocacy, to influence policy and to advance equity principles as part of what should be enshrined in NYC’s cultural plan. A report-back on the discussion will be included as a set of recommendations to the New York City Council’s 10 year Cultural Plan.

FREE

Please RSVP, limited capacity!

Events, Film, Lower East Side, Neighborhood, New York History, Past, Photography, Poetry, Politics, Storytelling, Talk / Panel, Theater, Visual Art, Youth

Ours to Lose: When Squatters Became Homeowners in New York City

Posted on by Alejandro

Loisaida Inc. and the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation are proud to present:

Ours to Lose: When Squatters Became Homeowners in New York City

The Lower East Side in the 1980s and 90s was home to a radical squattingmovement that
blended urban homesteading and European-style squatting in a way never before seen in the
United States.

Ours to Lose takes a close look at a diverse group of Lower East Side squatters who occupied abandoned city-owned buildings in the 1980s, fought to keep them for decades, and eventually began a long, complicated process to turn their illegal occupancy into legal cooperative ownership.

In this multimedia event Starecheski will use oral histories to explore the complicated
relationships between homesteading and squatting on the Lower East Side, and in American
history.

Amy Starecheski is co-director of the Oral History Master of Arts program at Columbia
University. She received a PhD in cultural anthropology from the CUNY Graduate Center, where
she was a Public Humanities Fellow. In 2016 she was awarded the “Will the Next Margaret
Mead Please Stand Up?” Prize for public anthropological writing.

Check out video of the talk below:

2016, Bilingual, Education, Film, Past, Screenings, Storytelling, Visual Art, Workshops

TV Pilot Workshop

Posted on by Alejandro
Loisaida Inc. presents:

TV Pilot Workshop

Dates: July 9, 16, 23, 30

Time: 11:00am-2:00pm

Register: here.

Location: 710 East Ninth Street New York NY 10009

Workshop provided by WEPA (Workshops, Entertainment and  Professional Artists) Composed of three young Latino leaders in which are Arilyn I. Martinez Cora, Andres Lopez and Anoushka Medina. Their objective is to create expand and develop the visual arts within the community of Loisaida.

Overview:
In this workshop we will teach participants how to make a TV pilot for  TV and all the internet platforms. The components of the workshop are:
• Acting
• Writing
• Directing
• Production
• The use of the camera and sound gear
• Also a general class about wardrobe, make up and set-design

Acting
In this workshop we will touch the theory and practice of acting for camera. We start with the origin and development of acting. In the workshop the community will be able to experiment and develop acting skills.
• The principal idea is to educate through acting games and developing the ability of acting for a scripted show.
• Example: Alert, Concentration and teamwork.
In this game the class will gain confidence and let go their insecurities in the space as a group.

Writing
In this workshop we will teach and explain the parts of the script. The first setup is where we describe the characters life, how characters relate to each other and what specific event changes the life of the character. The second step is to develop the obstacle of this story. The third is to resolve, which we will cover the moral of the story. The scripted final of the pilot will be a collaboration of the group of the class adapting everyone’s stories.

Directing
In this workshop we will be teaching the necessaries skills to direct actors for camera. Understanding the motivation and obstacle of why the actors should move in the space through the story.
• One of the exercises will be using the stories of the community and see it come to life through improvisation.

Camera & Sound
The use of the camera and sound gear HANDS ON. In this workshop we will teach the mechanics of the camera, basic lighting and what it is a good composition for the story on camera. In terms of sound we will teach how to position the microphone and how to use the sound recorder.

Production
This final workshop creates a plan to shoot the story. We will teach how to breakdown the script, planning a production timeline, and how to organize the departments (cast, crew, equipment, locations).
• Briefly, we will go over wardrobe, makeup and set-design; explaining with the importance of this department with videos and pictures.

 

tv pilot workshop loisaida

2016, Events, Film, Music, Past, Performance, Residencies, Screenings, Visual Art, Youth

Florencia Escudero – Video Screening

Posted on by Alejandro

You can’t miss 2016 Artist in Residence: Florencia Escudero‘s last part of her residency at Loisaida Inc.

A final video screening and musical performance curated by Escudero and including artists; Richard Cho, Jake Davidson, Tiona McClodden, Brigid Moore, Cristina Tufiño, Zulu Padilla, Julian Chams, Tommy Kha, Jordie Oetken, Itzel Alejandra Martinez and Constanza Alarcón Tennen.

It all starts at 8:00 PM

Duration: 1.5hrs

2016, Bilingual, Caribbean, Events, Film, Music, Past, Screenings, Visual Art

Bori-Queer-Chichos and Joy Film Screening

Posted on by Alejandro

Saturday, June 4th 2016, at The Loisaida Center

Description

Macha Colón, a character created by the multidisciplinary artist Gisela Rosario Ramos, will headline this event with a screening of the documentary film “El Hijo De Ruby”. Macha Colón y Los Okapi was in the line up of Loisaida Festival, and will perform at the New Museum on Thursday in conjunction with art work by resident Beatriz Santiago Muñoz. We are lucky to feature her in an intimate setting at the Loisaida Center along with one of the subjects of her film, Lionel Villahermoso, who will also perform.

This event is a run-up to a short film festival at the end of the month Comi/Cine which fuses culinary arts with film-making. In line with the themes of the Loisaida Festival, refreshments will be served.

2014, Dance/Movement, Events, Family Activities, Festival, Film, Music, Partners, Partnerships, Performance, Theater, Visual Art

Muchas Julias

Posted on by Alejandro

Muchas Julias / Many Julias

 The first multimedia production by the new Loisaida Center!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The new Loisaida Inc Center, in association with the Society of the Educational Arts, inc. (SEA), proudly presents: 
Muchas Julias / Many Julias as part of the Borimix: Puerto Rico Fest.  

In this multi-disciplinary event, art enlivens a space long known to harvest projects and services of great importance for the Latino community, the original Loisaida, Inc. building at 710 9th Street & Ave C, in the Lower East Side.

This time is the poetry of the great Julia de Burgos, whose centenary we celebrate this year, presented in five (5) distinct pieces representing different disciplinary approaches; in Muchas Julias / Many Julias visitors will stroll through the extensive premises of the new Loisaida Center to stop only at determined points and intimately experience the aesthetic pieces (from dance to theater, from film to installation), all inspired by the work of Julia de Burgos, one of Latin America’s greatest poets

Conceived by Yaraní del Valle, Muchas Julias / Many Julias is a site-specific montage that features the participation of artists and scholars such as: Oscar Montero, Deymirie Hernández, Gabo Lugo, Caborca Theater,Right Minded Creations, JecaRodríguez, Veraalba Santa and Tres Tristes collective.

 Venue: 710 E 9th Street and Avenue C

Date: Saturday November 15, 2014

Time: 7:30 pm

(Presentations will begin at 8:00pm)

Price: $10 suggested donation (Help Us Grow) 

Click  to RSVP for this event.

Sponsored in part by:

2014, Bilingual, Book Readings, Books, Children Friendly, Dance/Movement, Events, Family Activities, Festival, Film, Music, Partners, Performance, Plena, Puppetry, Screenings, Storytelling, Theater, Visual Art

El Mini Fest

Posted on by Alejandro

Un Pasadía Familiar

El Mini Fest – Family Day

at The Loisaida Center

 With The Wonderful Musical Duo:

¡ACOPLADITOS!

Day long activities for the entire family!

Beginning Saturday October 18th 2014 from 12 to 5 pm

 El Mini Fest Schedule of Activities:

12:00pm – 1:35pm

Open Yoga for the Family & Creative Movement for the Family

 with: Jeca Rodríguez and Sandralis Ginés

_

1:00pm – 3:00pm

Screening of: 

Pura Belpré:Storyteller

Documentary on loan by the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College

 

Creative Stations will open at 1:00pm

1. Paper Puppet Creations with Rojo Coquí Robles (El Kibutz del deseo) (2hrs)

2. Upcycling Arts with Visiones Culturales

3. Bilingual Storytelling with Maestra Coral Nogueras Ortiz

 _

 2:00pm – 3:00pm

 Interactive Bomba Performance: with María Eugenia Rodriguez & TheLegendary Mic

 _

3:00pm – 4:00pm

Headliner Concert by:

¡Acopladitos! 

 Come join us! Purchase tickets below. Only $5 for one ticket or $15 for 4 tickets!

2014, Dance/Movement, Events, Film, Music, Performance, Screenings, Visual Art

Plena Workshop with Tito Matos in amity of Bomplenazo

Posted on by Alejandro

The Loisaida Center presents:

Tito Matos

founder of: Viento de Agua

2014 Latin Grammy Awards Nominee.

Tito Matos is one of the most impressive requinto players of the plena tradition. He plays other percussion instruments: bomba barrels, congas, among others. He is the founder and director of Viento de Agua. He has previously recorded, played and toured with: Eddie Palmieri, David Sánchez, Miguel Zenón and Ricky Martin among many others. He is still a member of New York’s iconic bomba and plena ensemble Los Pleneros de la 21. Tito is the founder of Plenazos Callejeros a movement that takes plena to street corners in different Puerto Rican towns.

 

[add_eventon_list number_of_months=”1″ event_count=”1″ ft_event_priority=”yes” only_ft=”yes” fixed_month=”10″ fixed_year=”2014″ ]

 1:00pm – 3:00pm

Taller de Plena

tito_matos

Master percussionist Tito Matos teaches a basic plena workshop suitable for all levels. The Puerto Rico native has traveled the world playing plena, an Afro Rican musical genre. Students will learn basic rithmic patterns from the traditional to the contemporary style of playing the hand held drum known as pandereta. 
 

Eventbrite - Plena Workshop with Tito Matos in amity of Bomplenazo

Bring your own Drum or Pandero.
 
All ages Welcomed!
 

3:00pm – 5:00pm

Screening of Plenazos Callejeros

logo_plenazos

Documentary, followed by Q&A with producers and musicians

Plenazos Callejeros is a documentary about a movement that revolutionized Afro Puerto Rican musical genre: plena. Every month a bunch of pleneros would gather at a street corner to play and talk about music. The video takes viewers on a journey through the last 30 years of the plena tradition.

Director: Mariana Reyes Angleró

Producers: Mariana Reyes and Tito Matos for Viento de Agua Inc.

Editor: Juan C. Álvarez Lara