The Brooklyn Museum of Art hosted Target 1st Saturday party is NYC’s best monthly jam hands down. First off, you are in one of the city’s greatest buildings right in the heart of the county of Kings. This neighborhood, and this city, was brought to its knees during the Crown Heights riots. Everything is not equal or equitable but those fires aren’t burning any longer. Young Black male teenagers are still at risk of dropping out of school and falling through the cracks but if one of those young men comes to the museum and sees himself in the image of regalia maybe he will internalize that memory for the dark days.
I love these portraits of Black men that Kehinde Wiley has created [ll]. I need to put a boldface on that pause button too since C.S. informed me that the subjects of the paintings may be Wiley’s intimates. I have to ignore that detail to really appreciate the details in these portraits. C.S. tells me that these works further objectify Black males within the larger power structure, but honestly asking, what DOESN’T objectify the Black male? The Black male is what everyone wants to be when they consider the virility of mind, body and spirit. The unconquered lions roam free in the county of Kings. Well, not exactly, but you can get that feeling from viewing some of the Wiley paintings the museum has on permanent display.
Make sure you get to the museum early enough to enjoy some of the permanent collection…
Curator Talk – 7pm
Kevin Dumouchelle, Interim Assistant Curator of the Arts of Africa and the Pacific Islands, discusses the Museum’s collection of African art. This event is Sign Language interpreted. Free tickets are available at the Visitor Center at 6:30pm
Music – 7:30–8:30pm
The award-winning Brooklyn Youth Chorus presents seasonal songs and liturgical music inspired by James Tissot’s The Life of Christ
First Saturdays Focus Group – 9–9:30pm
Join us for a discussion of what would bring you back to the museum
Dance Party – 9–11pm
Relive warm summer memories and shake it at a hot dance party presented by Brooklyn’s Soul Summit
You don’t have to come to the Brooklyn Museum of Art in a tuxedo, but if you have a nice piece of vintage Polo Ralph Lauren put it on and show your respect to the style and swagger that young Black teenagers have made popular all around the globe.
