Multimedia exhibition, “BronX BandA: Love and Resilience,” opened on Jan. 31, and runs through May 13 at the Casita Maria Gallery, located at 928 Simpson Street, in the Hunts Point neighborhood of the South Bronx. The exhibition centers on the story of the group, BronX BandA, as well as the Bronxites who inspired their music.

 

Using oral histories, video, photography, and a recently released BronX BandA album, coloring book and short film entitled, “The Casita Sessions,” gallery visitors will experience a diverse mix of storytelling methods celebrating Bronx culture and communities and the music which was created during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

“Love and Resilience” celebrates the collaboration between Casita Maria and six-time Grammy award winner, Arturo O’Farrill, that resulted in the formation of the nine-piece ensemble, BronX BandA. Founded in the early days of the pandemic, the group adapted their performances to comply with COVID-19 regulations and the exhibition documents this fluidity. Ensemble members, all of whom are Bronx-based or work in The Bronx, began their journey together through ZOOM, rehearsing and composing new music remotely.

 

Instead of performing in public spaces throughout The Bronx as originally planned, BronX BandA made their debut in a virtual livestream paired with a puppetry and narration by Redwing Blackbird Theater. From there, the group went on to play pop-up performances, record an album of original compositions at Sear Sound in Manhattan, film a documentary, and collaborate with musicians from the New York Philharmonic.

 

“Love and Resilience,” the band’s new album and namesake of the exhibition, features 12 original compositions, eight of which are inspired by the oral histories of Bronx cultural icons. Oral historian, Berta Jottar, and Arturo O’Farrill collected life stories from jazz pianists, Bertha Hope and Valerie Capers, to Bill Aguado, executive director of En Foco, a non-profit organization that nurtures contemporary fine art and documentary photographers of diverse cultures, primarily U.S. residents of Latino, African and Asian heritage, and native peoples of the Americas and the Pacific.

 

Others included tres player, Nelson Gonzalez, folklorist, Elena Martinez, and DJ, Grandwizzard Theodore, inventor of the scratch and the needle drop. The tres (Spanish for three) is a three-course chordophone of Cuban origin. Collectively, the memories of these Bronx cultural icons were transformed into original jazz compositions.

 

Excerpts from the oral history recordings dedicated to The Bronx are also presented in an exhibition. Featured videos include a documentary short by filmmaker, Taylor Krauss of Render Circus, that follows BronX BandA from January through June 2021, and a recording of their debut performance with puppeteer group, Redwing Blackbird Theatre, in collaboration with CultureHub. The latter advances new work by artists experimenting with emerging technologies.

 

Photographs by Argenis Appolinario also document BronX BandA’s story from August 2020 through June 2021. Meanwhile, an interactive, storytelling approach is provided through a coloring book, commissioned by Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez, Sabrina Cintron of Somos Arte and BronX BandA spoken word artist, Baba Israel.

 

The new album and accompanying coloring book will both be distributed to visitors for free while supplies last. The Bronx community are invited to an in-person celebration with DJ music by Grandwizzard Theodore at the Casita Maria Gallery on May 12, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information visit casitamaria.org/gallery#Exhibitions

 

According to Casita Maria representatives, since 1934, the organization has served as a cultural and community anchor for thousands of South Bronx and East Harlem young people and their families. As New York City’s first and oldest Latino-serving community organization, Casita Maria showcases and champions the community’s artistic and cultural legacy, channeling the power of this unique heritage to educate, inspire, and encourage young people to become exceptional artists, scholars, and leaders.

 

Dedicated to enriching the lives of youth and families in the community, Casita Maria offers shared cultural, art, and educational experiences including free after school programs and public art programs. Casita Maria builds an active South Bronx community by showcasing the beauty, life, and creativity embedded in every block.