It drives me a little nuts, everytime I walk or run by the Kingsbridge Armory.
I first wrote about it in 1993; community organizers and activists with the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition got involved soon thereafter; and after many starts and stops and Mayor Bloomberg’s heavily defeated proposal to make a mall out of the giant joint (more than 500,000 square feet!) without a promise of a fair wage for workers, a group that adhered to a fair-wage deal finally got a plan saluted and signed by all sides. Named the Kingsbridge National Ice Center was going to be nine ice skating rinks for pro-hockey, and locals too. But the last word I found was in 2017 here and here. It’s been six years since there was a “deal” in 2014. Argh!!!!
Kingsbrige Armory. Where is it headed? Photo by Jordan Moss
On Instagram, this Friday, Bronx Documentary Center is hosting discussions with two exhibiting photographers, Adriana Loureiro Fernández and César Rodríguez. Details here.
8.3.20 — Asked as a kid what my favorite color was, I’d always say purple. But if you look at my art (IG: @jordanmossart), begun at age 48, there’s a ton more red. It’s me, but not a me I’ve gotten to understand too well. Why did it dominate my work so far? Dunno.
I took a bunch of shots at this one fire alarm on Godwin Terrace, a street, believe it or not, I’ve never walked or run on until today. I was headed in that direction from a run in Marble Hill, which despite my decade-and-a-half life in Kingsbridge Heights, I could count on one hand the number of times I’ve walked or run through it. Anyway, the reds, pinks, oranges in here blow me away. To me, this is a kind of art I could never, or should never, create. Yes, I will use/steal aspects of its textures and colors and take photos of it galore, choosing the parts I like and even editing its color (didn’t here). But it’s not any kind of message coming through me; it’s beauty and intensity I ran into. It is, I guess, an ongoing focus of my photography. (I took a ton more shots today but this is the one I like most.)
Photo by Jordan Moss
Speaking of my red artwork, here’s a recent piece of my mixed media abstract work that I began a good while ago at the Art Students League and completed over the summer.
“Keep Going” 2020. 27 in. x 16 in. Acrylic, cardboard, plywood, sand. By Jordan Moss
As you may have noticed, I haven’t blogged in months, and not consistently in the last few years. I am no longer a journalist, but I reboot my blog here to focus on art, my art, Bronx art, local issues of all kinds and creativity in general. We’ll all see where I head with it. Your input, ideas and thoughts are welcome. The Bronx matters.
Saw this beautiful swan today in Van Cortlandt Park Lake. I see one or two there often, but they never cease to attract my attention. Photo by Jordan Moss
The Bronx Documentary Center in Mott Haven is having a holiday photo sale between December 10th and 18th. For precise dates and times, check out their site. This is cool. Incredible documentary photos, by great documentary photographers, available for holiday gifts in the Bronx!
Hey Bronx (and Beyond) Pals: My art and photo exhibit – at An Beal Bocht (cool, artsy Irish pub/cafe in Riverdale/Bronx) opens on July 6, next Wednesday, beginning at 6 p.m. It’s at 445 W. 238th St. in Riverdale, a short (if somewhat steep) walk from the 238th St. 1-train station. An Beal Bocht will provide some food. They’d just like you to shell out a little dough to buy some booze or whatever else (water, juice, soda, whatever) you’d like to take a swig of. Don’t worry if you come later – even a lot later – than that. I’m figuring it will go on until at least 10 p.m., or probably beyond that when the last one of us heads out the door. Here are a couple of photos of what I’ll be showing.
One of my abstract paintings, collage, whatever you wanna call it:
One of my photos … (Guess where and when? 😉
OK, hope you can make it, but if you can’t the exhibit will continue through the month of July. Thanks! If you have any questions, just email me at bronxmatters@gmail.com.
