Poetry, Performances and Palomas: What To Do in NYC This July and August

GUIDESBy 2022-07-29T16:15:17-04:00July 28th, 2022|
  • Raphael Montañez Ortiz with Archaeological Find #22: The Aftermath, 1961. El Museo del Barrio Archives, New York.

If you’re looking for LATINA approved activities to check out in New York City this week —  whether it’s art, musical performances, film, or food —  we’ve got you covered. Grab a friend, dress fashionably but practically for the ninety degree weather, pack a water bottle, and head out to explore the city. 

  1. View a poetic performance with Poncili Creación

Join Puerto Rico-based art collective Poncili Creación at the MoMA PS1 Courtyard for some of their biggest performances yet. In “No gods only flowers,” brothers Pablo and Efrain Del Hierro share their interpretation of photosynthesis through an act that involves larger-than-life puppets suspended from two aerial cranes high above the courtyard alongside a live musical score. At the artists’ request, attendees are strongly encouraged to dress in the color green.

The performances are on Friday, July 29 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, July 30 at 3 p.m. Tickets are free with RSVP

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by MoMA PS1 (@momaps1)

  1. Check out Chilean artist Cecilia Vicuña’s exhibit at the Guggenheim

Contemporary Chilean artist, poet, activist, and filmmaker Cecilia Vicuña hosts her first solo exhibition in a New York museum in “Cecilia Vicuña: Spin Spin Triangulene” at the Guggenheim. The show features Vicuña’s work, spanning from the 1960s to today, including paintings, works on paper, textiles, films, and a Quipu (knot) installation inspired by the knotting system created in the Andes. Vicuña explores themes of political activism, memory, language, science, and Indigenous spirituality and knowledge. Tickets are available here, and the exhibit is on view now through September 5, 2022.

  1. Celebrate the founder of El Museo del Barrio in a new retrospective

Stop at Museum Mile’s epicenter for Caribbean and Latin American art and celebrate Raphael Montañez Ortiz, the founder of El Museo del Barrio, in the largest exhibition dedicated to his work. In “Raphael Montañez Ortiz: A Contextual Retrospective,” his work on identity, decolonization, and ethno-aesthetics over the past 60 years can be viewed through his films, paintings, photography, video installations, documents, and assemblages. Divided into four sections, the exhibit explores the different stages of Montañez Ortiz’s art focus, including his Puerto Rican background and related activism, resistance to cultural ethnocentrism, and more. The exhibit is on view through September 11, 2022. Reserve a ticket here.

  1. Watch “Mija” and enjoy Helado Negro and Silvana Estrada in Central Park 

Watch an early film screening of the new award-winning Disney Original documentary, “Mija,” produced by Emmy-nominated director Isabel Castro at SummerStage in Central Park. The film follows Doris Muñoz and Jacks Haupt, two daughters of undocumented immigrants from Mexico who are both navigating their careers in the music industry. The event will also include performances from both Muñoz and Haupt as well as Helado Negro and Silvana Estrada. Admission is first come, first serve on Wednesday, August 3, 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. Click here for more information.

Silvana Estrada by Flordalis Espinal for Latina.

  1. View Teresita Fernandez’s latest curated exhibit

New York-based artist Teresita Fernandez’s latest curated exhibit, “Eyes of the Skin,” features over 20 works from nine artists who focus on materiality, process, and tactility. The group show emphasizes the importance of indigenous, intuitive, and somatosensory knowledge as a primary source for understanding our world. The exhibit is on view through August 12. Click here for more information.

  1. Head to Jackson Heights for the “Made In Queens” Art walk

Join Queens Art Collective Kaleidospace for the “MADEINQUEENS: ART WALK” through Jackson Heights. Artists Mark Saldana and Erick Teran will provide attendees with a map of the three new mural destinations in Jackson Heights: “Queens Is the Future,” “Jackson Heights Community Mural,” and the “Somos Vida” mural series. Each map will have a QR code for visitors to scan on their phones and learn more about the pieces, directing art enthusiasts to information about the artists, their process, and the intentionality behind each piece. This free art walk takes place on July 31 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Click here to learn more.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Mark Saldana (@coolmarx)

  1. Try traditional Mexican food at the new Tribeca spot, Casa Carmen

Casa Carmen is the new venture of a Mexican family led by renowned chef Carmen “Titita” Ramirez Degollado and her grandsons Sebastian and Santiago. Located in Lower Manhattan, the restaurant is an homage to their passion for traditional Mexican food from regions such as Veracruz, Puebla, and Oaxaca, heritage ingredients, and dining customs. The space evokes the feeling of being in a subdued, earth-toned hacienda with high ceilings and a cozy ambiance. 114 Franklin Street. Click here for reservations.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Casa Carmen (@casacarmennyc)

  1. Eat street-style tacos at Citrico Cafe in Long Island City

Citrico is a Mexican cafe & Agaveria fare offering Los Angeles street-style tacos. With long tables to accommodate big groups, high ceilings, and an upscale tropical aesthetic adorned with plants, Citrico offers a refreshing and airy dining experience for groups of all sizes. This restaurant is located at 35-15 34th Avenue, Long Island City. Click here for reservations.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by @citricocafe

  1. Indulge in the vegan food of your dreams at Guevara’s

Take a step into Guevara’s pink and plant-filled oasis, where everything from the empanadas, pan dulce, and other menu items are 100% vegan. Co-owned by Alicia Guevara, this Cuban-inspired eatery has locations in Clinton Hill and Williamsburg. Click here for more information.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Guevara’s (@guevarasbk)

  1. Sip on palomas at Bosco in the Greenwich Village

Bosco recently opened the doors of its intimate Greenwich Village craft cocktail bar and comfort food restaurant in July 2022. The menu contains an array of Latin-American street food dishes created by Chef Alan Delgado, formerly of the Michelin-starred Mexican restaurant Oxomoco and its vegan sister restaurant Xilonen. 169 Bleecker Street. Click here for more information.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Bosco (@169bosco)