The New York Art Institute, Simmons College

Africa Celebrates the World Cup is an art exhibit taking place at the Paley Center for Media located at 25 West 52 Street. This incredible exhibit was discovered completely by accident when my roommate and I were walking home one afternoon from MoMA.

The exhibit description from the website:

“Fans will see a unique side of the World Cup in this multimedia, immersive exhibit of handcrafted collage and authentic African art. Joseph Peter journeyed across the African Continent on the biggest-ever FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour with The Coca-Cola Company, capturing the love and passion of its diverse people for soccer. This unique selection of images translates how the world’s greatest sporting event promotes happiness, unity, and peace while building bridges around the world through the communal interaction and development of sport. From a broader angle, Africa Celebrates The World Cup! portrays the positive heart and soul of a continent often associated with challenges.”

photographs by Joseph Peter
"The African Book of Happiness"

In addition to the intimate and stunning photographs by Joseph Peter the exhibit is also riddled with authentic African art, sculptures, and textiles on loan from Hemingway African Gallery. The arrangement not only offers an unique experience to physically interact with African art. I mean you can literally walk in to the center and sit in a hand carved chair to watch a World Cup match. I think the Hemingway African Gallery is amazing for being so generous! To me, it was so refreshing to be able to interact with art this way.

Interview on NBC with Joseph Peter about the exhibit.

photo by: Jessica Pratas

photo collage by Joseph Peters

photo by: Jessica Pratas
Africa Celebrates the World Cup! Exhibit

photo by: Jessica Pratas
chair on loan from the Hemingway African Gallery

The World Cup is the most anticipated sporting event in the world. Over 2 billion people play soccer world wide. By making this exhibit free, the Paley Center exposed the beautiful (and to a lot of people, still unknown) realm of African art to the greater population of NYC.

Oh, and did I mention that if sitting in wooden chairs isn't your style you can head downstairs to sit in soft, roomy, comfortable chairs and watch the games on a big screen in HD? I kid you not.

The exhibit is here through July 11th - which is the date of the Championship game. Coca-Cola is sponsoring a party with free admission and free food to celebrate! If you are in the area, I highly suggest checking it out. You will not be disappointed.

- Jessica

PS - Forca Portugal! Eu acredito em você! Go USA! :)