Bronx Museum

Perception plays a key role in our understanding of context and interpretation of something. This week, the scholars went to the Bronx Museum of the Arts to better redefine what The Bronx means to them and broaden their understanding of the City and its history. Ivan led the scholars briefly through Bronx history, and went into depth about Bronx culture and the arts around the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Ivan, a comic book artist, taught the scholars how to tag using the four elements; earth, water, air, fire, and how that looks visually. The exhibition, Henry Chalfant: Art vs. Transit, 1977-1987, gave the scholars an opportunity to see New York City graffiti in an artistic sense in those times, specifically on subway cars centered around The Bronx and beyond. Surrounding the walls lined images taken throughout the city over a few decades of culture, arts, music, etc. of the time. Adjusted images of the sides of multiple colorful train cars also lined the walls, each showing how the four elements come together in a composition.