News Briefs: April 2022

Wesley Wofford, Harriet Tubman – The Journey to Freedom 
(photo courtesy of the artist)

Harriet Tubman: The Journey to Freedom

A sculpture in commemoration of Harriet Tubman will be installed for a three month residence in White Plains this month. The work emphasizes the resilience of Tubman, an escaped enslaved woman who helped to lead enslaved people to safety along the Underground Railroad. Harriet Tubman – The Journey to Freedom, a nine-foot-high, 2,400 lb. bronze sculpture by artist Wesley Wofford, was previously on display in Peekskill last year. It will now be on view at Renaissance Plaza in White Plains through June 30. 

The City of White Plains and the White Plains BID will present a calendar of related programs. Below is a sampling of those events.

StoryWalks 

Read about the life of Harriet Tubman in the children’s book Before She Was Harriet: The Story of Harriet Tubman by Lesa Cline-Ransome as you take a walk around the host location. 

       White Plains Library Plaza (April 1- June 30)

       Bryant-Mamaroneck Park (April 9 – June 30)

       Downtown White Plains Business District (May 1- May 31)

Outdoor Movie: HARRIET (May 21)

Court Street between Main Street and Martine Avenue 

Concert: a Tribute to Harriet Tubman (June 22)

An evening of R&B, Gospel and Jazz at Renaissance Plaza, featuring Sounds of A&R aka SOAR

Visit the BID’s website for a full schedule of events.

 

Legislator Colin Smith at KinoSaito Art Center

Legislator Colin Smith Highlights Recent Visit to KinoSaito Art Center

“Art is the language of our collective consciousness. The expression of how we see the world and our connection to it. Art is beautiful, frightening, sublime and inspiring. It helps us interpret the complexities of nature and the human soul. Art is the antithesis of rationality and logical expression. Simply put: Art is.

I had a lovely time yesterday visiting the re-opening of the @kinosaito Art Center in Verplanck. The new exhibits are crisp and engaging. I would encourage all who have an interest in the arts to go visit. You can find more information on their website: kinosaito.org.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Still from Múnich – The Edge of War (photo source: Netflix)

MARSHA ON THE MOVE: Monthly Web Feature

When Business Council of Westchester President Marsha Gordon, is not advocating for businesses in the County, she can be found at the cinema or theater. Read Marsha’s review below.

Múnich – The Edge of War (Netflix)

It is always amazing with history, that even though we clearly know “the end of the story,“ we can still be pulled into a moment in time when the world could have changed…and still believe it may be so.  This historical thriller (yes, it kept me at the edge of my seat) shows the precursor to WWII, when Neville Chamberlain (then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom) met with Hitler, Mussolini and Daladier to sign the Munich Agreement, an agreement for Germany to take over Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland. His thinking was that this would avert a war. That is history. And, alas, we know what happened next. But the thriller in this movie is the desperate attempts of two men to get the truth out. A relationship that is intense, honest and emotional coming together to try to save the world. This period piece will engage, educate and encourage you to learn more about this moment in history.  This was an engrossing film with great acting and an excellent story.

A version of this article first appeared in the April 2022 issue of ArtsNews, ArtsWestchester’s monthly publication. ArtsNews is distributed throughout Westchester County. A digital copy is also available at artsw.org/artsnews.​​​​

About ArtsWestchester

For more than 50 years, ArtsWestchester has been the community’s connection to the arts. Founded in 1965, it is the largest private not-for-profit arts council in New York State. Its mission is to create an equitable, inclusive, vibrant and sustainable Westchester County in which the arts are integral to and integrated into every facet of life. ArtsWestchester provides programs and services that enrich the lives of everyone in Westchester County. ArtsWestchester helps fund concerts, exhibitions and plays through grants; brings artists into schools and community centers; advocates for the arts; and builds audiences through diverse marketing initiatives. In 1998, ArtsWestchester purchased the nine-story neo-classical bank building at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue which has since been transformed into a multi-use resource for artists, cultural organizations and the community. A two-story gallery is located on the first floor of ArtsWestchester’s historic building on Mamaroneck Avenue. artsw.org