4. Visit Rashid Johnson’s “Red Stage” at Astor Place
From now until July 4th, 2021, Astor Place—one of New York City’s most historic and iconic plazas—will host artist Rashid Johnson’s Red Stage. The sculpture was created as a public invitation for experimentation and creation after a year fueled by fear and anxiety. At 30 feet wide and painted a bright, urgent red color, Red Stage will be used for various free artist performances and musical events. It will also serve as a space for the public to use their voice in advocacy of social change.
On Juneteenth at the Red Stage, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., the Black Painters Academy will be hosting a free painting class, with supplies given to the first 10 arrivals. Specifically, the academy focuses on Black art history, with their Juneteenth class emphasizing the physical elements and objects which surround celebration within the Black community. Later in the day, Joe’s Pub and Make Music New York will present A Juneteenth Celebration, a free live musical event. It will take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and will feature performances by artists Celisse, Ché Buford, and Mal Sounds. There will also be programming from the Juneteenth Legacy Project, a non-profit Galveston-based corporation that seeks to contextualize Juneteenth as a pivotal moment in the arc of U.S. history and retell the story of its genesis and cultural relevance.
