Public Art
Unveiled on June 10, 2023, "Yesterday" is a bronze bas-relief sculpture by renowned Yonkers-based artist Vinnie Bagwell. The work depicts a pensive young African girl, approximately six years old, resting her chin on her hand in contemplation. Rising from her garment is an image of enslaved Africans toiling at agricultural work — a haunting reminder of the labor that built Westchester's wealth.
The sculpture is cast in bronze upon a marble base, affixed to a beveled black granite slab. It stands on Main Street in Irvington, between Village Hall and Main Street School, near the newly named Madam C.J. Walker Plaza. The title evokes the truth that while slavery ended nearly 200 years ago, its legacies persist and are as close as yesterday.
“I created ‘Yesterday’ to commemorate the people who built the foundation of what is now known as the Village of Irvington. Its purpose is to foster civic engagement, reveal history, and honor humanity. This work will foster community activism to eradicate racism and unlearn hate.”
