For years, Ralph Lee installed puppet pageantry in the windowed alcove of the Westbeth inner courtyard. They were quarterly installations of puppets, masks, small and large figures which sometimes referenced current events or the change of seasons but were mostly evocative allusions to mythology, fairy tales, and magic. Ralph was a Westbeth Icon, the founder […]

West Indian Day Parade in Harlem. Many slaves brought the tradition of African outdoor ceremonies to the Caribbean. However, once enslaved, they were prohibited from holding public celebrations despite their slaveholders’ engagement in street parades like Mardi Gras. Once freed, ex-slaves began their own street celebrations, combining elements of African and European culture. /caption] Flora […]