The Arts & History   

On the surface understood as opposing colors, black and white represented the eternal battle between good and evil—but they also played far more nuanced roles in artistic iconography, fashion, and the ideologies that helped medieval people understand their place in the world. Black was the color of both demons and the Benedictine monastic attire; white, eschewed by the ancient world in favor of garishly painted marble, became a medieval symbol of purity. This lecture will explore the multivalent meanings of these “essential” colors across a broad array of media to unpack their complicated roles in the medieval imagination.

 

In our extremely globalized world, does the traditional “East-West” duality still matter? In the contemporary art world, is “cultural sensibility” still relevant? If so, where and how do we discover it? Visual artist Serdar Arat explores these and other questions through his own creative process, by way of Istanbul, where he grew up, and New York, where he has been working and exhibiting as an artist since the 1980s. A diverse selection of historical and contemporary artworks surrounding Arat’s own works will provide a comparative experience. 

 

In the mid-1960s, the British Invasion marked a cultural phenomenon that became a defining moment in the evolution of modern music and youth identity. This movement saw a wave of British rock and pop bands, most notably The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, and The Kinks, captivate American audiences and reshape the global musical landscape. Rooted in American blues, R&B, and rock and roll, these artists blended their influences with homegrown styles like skiffle and Merseybeat to create a fresh, electrifying sound. The British Invasion not only revolutionized American music but also left a lasting imprint on fashion, attitudes, and the rising counterculture of the era. Explore the music, cultural shifts, and iconic figures that defined this transatlantic wave and consider its deeper impact and enduring legacy in popular culture.

"New Rochelle is not only one of the oldest communities in Westchester, it was the only community in Colonial America that maintained the French customs and language well into the 18th century. The city’s ever-growing downtown has amazing reminders of each era, beginning with French Huguenots in the early 1700s, through its years as a resort destination, the Gilded Age, the banner decade of the 1920s, and up to present day. Master works of architects John Russell Pope (Jefferson Memorial), Henry Bacon (Lincoln Memorial), and Richard Upjohn (Trinity Church) are part of this 90-minute walking tour, as well as numerous and superb examples of Art Deco design. Participants will see the birthplace of Mighty Mouse, the former stomping grounds of artist Norman Rockwell and Yankee great Lou Gehrig, the first suburban Bloomingdales, and much more! 

As a follow-up to Serdar Arat’s “Art Across Two Worlds” lecture (10/15), participants and any other interested students are invited to visit his studio in Port Chester, NY. Arrival, departure, and stay times are completely flexible and up to the participants between the hours of 2-5 PM. This is an open house with no scheduled programming, and Serdar will show guests his studio, talk about his pieces, and answer questions. Light refreshments will be served.

 

There is so much to see in this compact neighborhood which is sandwiched in between the Upper West Side and Harlem. Along our route are the neighborhood's famous parks (Morningside, Sakura, and Riverside), magnificent churches (St. John the Divine and Riverside), and beautiful prewar apartment buildings. And, of course, we see the many academic institutions, including Columbia and Barnard, which give the neighborhood its nickname of NYC's Academic Acropolis. We end at Ulysses S. Grant's Tomb, the largest tomb by volume in the U.S.

 

Winston Churchill’s life was a roller coaster of bitter failures and glorious achievements, of which recent film biographies only scratch the surface. This 2-lecture series tells the full story, including Churchill’s youthful meteoric rise to the corridors of British political power, and his ensuing setbacks in World War I and dubious party-switching that left him, at middle age, a near-forgotten back-bencher. Only his prescient diagnosis of Hitler’s threat propelled his resurgence, setting the stage for his unparalleled leadership of Britain during World War II and beyond. Also, Churchill's support of Jewish causes, while far from perfect, stood out compared with those of his British contemporaries. Still, Churchill’s willingness to cede spheres of influence to Stalin undercut FDR’s bid for a new international order, and his clinging to a dying British imperialism and stubborn indifference to wartime India’s mass famine hastened the demise of British rule. Throughout, we will listen to and watch Churchill’s speeches, which defined the preeminent value of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger.

Zombies, aliens, and vampires are taking over the Bronxville Adult School. This fall, The Picture House and BAS invite you to three evenings of classic horror, all treats and no tricks!

Sign up for the series and receive a 10% discount.

• Night of the Living Dead with The Picture House, Thursday, 10/30
• Invasion of the Body Snatchers with The Picture House, Thursday, 11/13
• Dracula with The Picture House, Thursday, 12/4

They’re coming to get you, Bronxville! Join us on All Hallows Eve-Eve for a screening and discussion of the most influential zombie film ever made. George A. Romero’s low-budget thriller is just as effective today as when it was released in 1968. Popcorn and water will be provided, but BYOBrains!

Click here to receive a 10% discount when you register for the three-part series, which includes screenings of three of classic creepy films on three different evenings.

Check out the other two classes that are part of this series:

• Invasion of the Body Snatchers with The Picture House, Thursday, 11/13

• Dracula with The Picture House, Thursday, 12/4

Charming pre-Civil War townhomes, hidden parks, a public library within a 19th-century courthouse: these are just some of the sites seen on this walking tour of the historical West Village. Hear the stories of how this neighborhood developed, the importance of the Stonewall Inn in LGBTQ history, where Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney founded the Whitney Museum of American Art, and much more.

Reaching a peak in 13th-14th century Paris, medieval ivory carving stands on the shoulders of ancient Greek and Roman ivories—but what was this unique material used for, and why? Artists opted to use this warm, lustrous material for the covers of liturgical books as well as for boxes carved with scenes of romances. How was ivory acquired, from what animals, and relying on which trade connections? Join us as we examine some exquisite carvings first intended for the medieval eyes of bishops, pilgrims, and besotted noblewomen.

Sculptural and architectural memorials in public spaces help us reflect on our powerful collective memories. Yet, “collective memory” is subject to change, and in time, memorials once created to be permanent can be removed or destroyed. We will explore these and other dynamics affecting the creation and destruction of memorials by experiencing some of the most impactful and controversial memorials around the world, considering their original purposes, aesthetic qualities, and the challenges they pose.

 

This 1956 sci-fi/horror cult classic’s depiction of a swarming hive-mind of pod people spawned countless remakes and rip-offs. Is it a drive-in B movie or a sly commentary on McCarthyism? (Spoiler: it’s both!) If you haven’t signed up yet- you’re next, you’re next, you’re next!

Click here to receive a 10% discount when you register for the three-part series, which includes screenings of three of classic creepy films on three different evenings.

Check out the other two classes that are part of this series:

• Night of the Living Dead with The Picture House, Thursday, 10/30

• Dracula with The Picture House, Thursday, 12/4

Take a provocative journey exploring ten ancient myths that inspired countless masterpieces of Western art. Whether it’s the goddess Diana punishing mortal Actaeon for seeing her naked, the Trojan prince Paris choosing the fairest among three goddesses, or the demigod Perseus rescuing the princess Andromeda from a sea monster, the relationships among gods—and between gods and mortals—were nothing if not intense and dramatic. This lecture delves into these and more stories of scandal, heroism, and passion through the lens of more than 100 artworks drawn from private collections and over 90 museums worldwide, including the Louvre, the Prado, the Tate, and the Met.

See what birds over-winter here on the Bronx River. In addition to the locals that stay all year, there are several species that are here only during the winter. You may also see some of the “wintering ducks,” including the hooded merganser, the American black duck, and the green-winged teal duck.

See Lyndhurst mansion transformed into an extravagant wonderland of holiday splendor. Described as one of the “Ten Best Historic Holiday Tours” by USA Today, Lyndhurst goes all-out during the holiday season, filling the mansion with elaborate tableaus of décor, which change every year. Dozens of Christmas trees are expertly decorated and designed to complement the elegant period furnishings within the rooms of the house. During this month only, curators bring out rarely-seen items that belonged to Lyndhurst’s former owners. This is a once-a-year opportunity to see many of the glittering possessions that are usually tucked away in the archives. This one-hour tour visits the two main floors of the mansion.

Created during the golden age of manuscript illumination, this 15th-century devotional masterpiece boasts exquisitely painted miniatures, showcasing a wide array of scenes from the labors of the seasons to God dramatically casting Lucifer out of heaven. A feast for the eyes, this lecture will explore the manuscript imagery in depth, European courtly patronage, and the lives of the three brothers (who ultimately died of plague) credited with this masterwork.

 

Listen to them, the children of the early evening! This class will revisit the first–and still most iconic–portrayal of Count Dracula ever committed to film. Tod Browning’s 1931 gothic classic still casts a spell on the unsuspecting. Bleh!

Click here to receive a 10% discount when you register for the three-part series, which includes screenings of three of classic creepy films on three different evenings.

Check out the other two classes that are part of this series:

• Night of the Living Dead with The Picture House, Thursday, 10/30

• Invasion of the Body Snatchers with The Picture House, Thursday, 11/13

In this lecture, Jess Velona, who was an appellate law clerk for Ruth Bader Ginsburg, will mix personal stories from his work for RBG with video clips to show how Ginsburg never fit into anyone's mold. A quiet, unassuming person, she became a pioneer for women in the legal profession and the top advocate for women's constitutional rights. And yet, while supportive of Roe v. Wade, she urged that abortion rights be anchored in something sturdier than privacy - advice that liberals ignored to their detriment. RBG was a moderate, consensus-building federal appellate judge who won near-unanimous support for the Supreme Court, but then she became "Notorious RBG," a liberal icon known for her passionate dissenting opinions. Finally, her decision not to retire early was lamented by many of those who most admired her life and career.

This 110-year-old train terminal welcomes hundreds of thousands people daily. But how many stop to take in this world-class landmark? This 2-hour walking tour will give you reason to stop and admire this magnificent Beaux Arts building like never before.

This exploration of the Grand Central Terminal will include these, and more:

• A brief history of the Vanderbilt family behind the NY Central Railroad and the two Grand Centrals that came before the 1913 Terminal.
• A quick primer on what “Beaux Arts” architecture is and how to identify it.
• Vintage photos of the terminal’s construction, sculptures, and inaccessible areas.
• The incredible story of how the Terminal escaped the wrecking ball.
• The colossal mistake of the Terminal’s Grand Concourse ceiling.
• A trip to the Terminal’s hidden, landmarked cocktail bar that was once a private office.
• A peek into the window catwalks.
• An opportunity to tell secrets across the elliptical Guastavino “Whispering Gallery.”

After the tour, get some holiday shopping done at the annual Grand Central Holiday Market!

This 110-year-old train terminal welcomes hundreds of thousands people daily. But how many stop to take in this world-class landmark? This 2-hour walking tour will give you reason to stop and admire this magnificent Beaux Arts building like never before.

This exploration of the Grand Central Terminal will include these, and more:

• A brief history of the Vanderbilt family behind the NY Central Railroad and the two Grand Centrals that came before the 1913 Terminal.
• A quick primer on what “Beaux Arts” architecture is and how to identify it.
• Vintage photos of the terminal’s construction, sculptures, and inaccessible areas.
• The incredible story of how the Terminal escaped the wrecking ball.
• The colossal mistake of the Terminal’s Grand Concourse ceiling.
• A trip to the Terminal’s hidden, landmarked cocktail bar that was once a private office.
• A peek into the window catwalks.
• An opportunity to tell secrets across the elliptical Guastavino “Whispering Gallery.”

After the tour, get some holiday shopping done at the annual Grand Central Holiday Market!