NLM at Night: La Brega

Join us as we celebrate our newest exhibition La Brega: Art for Reimagining the World featuring the work of renowned artist Johnny Irizarry. In an evening inspired by Irizarry’s art and the Puerto Rican history and culture it reflects, take in the sights, sounds and tastes of Puerto Rico.

Explore our galleries while enjoying a piña colada, the official cocktail of Puerto Rico, and a variety of regional snacks. At 6:30, join in an exclusive artist-led workshop where Johnny Irizarry will share his skills and inspiration as guests make their own artworks in the style of the art featured in La Brega (limited capacity, additional registration required.) Cap off the evening at 7:00 with a performance from Los Bomberos de la Calle, a Philadelphia-based musical ensemble that brings the traditional Puerto Rican musical styles of bomba and plena to life.

About Johnny Irizarry

Johnny Irizarry’s work spans from teaching at universities to being director of La Casa Latina at the University of Pennsylvania and community centers. In the 1990s, he served as Executive Director of Taller Puertorriqueño. As a cultural worker, he has been at the forefront of Puerto Rican and Latinx civil rights struggles and fights for criminal justice.

About Los Bomberos De La Calle

Together since 2013, Los Bomberos De La Calle is a local Philadelphia Puerto Rican Bomba & Plena education & performing ensemble led by Anthony Mendez, familiarly known as Mr. Tony. Their mission is to promote cultural preservation by collaborating with schools and organizations to offer their knowledge and appreciation of Puerto Rican Bomba and Plena. These programs include Bomba and Plena Community Workshops for adults and children from ages 5 and above, as well as in-school residencies and after-school programs and assemblies. They are well known for engaging the audience and students in an energetic and interactive lesson or jam on the history, song and dance of traditional Bomba & Plena from Puerto Rico.