Miami art – A Miami exhibition opened ahead of the World Cup, pairing World Cup imagery with African art to represent every African team in the tournament and celebrate Cape Verde’s unexpected debut run.
At the entrance of a Miami art exhibition, a photo of Vinícius Júnior celebrating a goal with one fist raised greets visitors—then, just beyond it, a suspended acrylic work shows a woman’s dreadlocks floating as she heads a soccer ball.
Inside, a replica FIFA World Cup trophy sits encased in glass. Around it are images, paintings and flags that trace generations of African soccer dreams and stories, all arranged to spotlight Africa’s connection to the sport during the World Cup.
“It’s what art is about,” said Alfonso D. Brooks, founder of AfriKin, a foundation showcasing African and diaspora art. Brooks said art can foster peace and understanding and “give voice to those that can’t speak for themselves. ” adding: “This is the necessary part we feel the need to do with AfriKin.”.
The exhibition—titled “Art and the Beautiful Game: Africa on the World Stage”—opened in Miami ahead of the start of the World Cup. Brooks said he spent about six months putting it together, bringing a collection by more than 50 artists from 25 nations. It traces soccer’s role in the continent’s history while celebrating influential figures from the late Pelé to French star Kylian Mbappé.
Every African nation competing in the World Cup is represented, with special tributes to Cape Verde.
The small nation off the western coast of Africa pulled off one of the tournament’s most striking upsets: a draw against Spain in its World Cup debut.
AfriKin plans a ceremony honoring Cape Verde on Saturday night before the team faces Uruguay in a group stage match in Miami on Sunday.
Brooks said the timing is part of the purpose. With the World Cup bringing tens of thousands of fans to Miami, he and participating artists wanted to create a gathering space for the African community to meet, celebrate and share culture throughout the tournament.
“Miami is a huge melting pot,” said Tasanee Durrett, a 31-year-old Orlando-based artist. “We have the Latin (residents), we have Haitian and the Caribbean, we have so many different influences. And so now that we have this voice, we have this platform, why not speak to it?”
Durrett, who is also a licensed architect, said she honors Black women in soccer with a pair of acrylic pieces. One is titled “A Beautiful Game,” featuring a woman headbutting the ball. She said she began drawing people years ago as a therapeutic outlet and is passionate about highlighting underrepresented communities.
“I hope that they see the stories that are being told through the artists,” Durrett said. “And I hope they see themselves in these stories.” She said she mostly creates her work in one single line.
For Brooks, the exhibition’s foundation goes back to a childhood memory of soccer’s humble beginnings. Brooks was born in the Dutch Caribbean territory of St. Maarten and moved to Miami in 2008. He said his love for the game stems from what he remembers as its roots in Africa. where he recalled young children kicking around soccer balls—or any circular objects they could find—in school corridors. living rooms and concrete streets.
“This is where you get the term ‘the beautiful game,’” Brooks said. “Because it required nothing but a beautiful spirit.”
He built the show around that idea of intimacy as well as global reach, aiming to unite people across different backgrounds, races and languages. The result is an exhibition that moves from neighborhood pitches to symbols that travel across borders.
Bamazi Talle. a Columbus-based artist from Togo. tells part of that story through paintings of the calabash. a large woody gourd with deep cultural significance in Africa. Talle said the fruit is used in meals or hardened to make bowls and vessels for carrying water and food—but it is also a cultural symbol of community and hospitality.
In the exhibition, Talle paints the gourds floating against the flags of nations competing in the World Cup. For him, he said, the history of the fruit lines up with what the tournament represents.
“Calabash became one (thing) that united all of us,” Talle said. “And this cup, this World Cup is, I think, this celebration of all of us coming together.”
Beyond direct depictions of African teams and figures, Brooks includes what he calls “Hidden Africa.” He said the exhibition also incorporates countries like France, Belgium and England, which he describes as teams featuring players of African heritage born or developed in European countries.
Brooks said he wants to show the African diaspora’s links throughout the tournament field while sparking conversations about identity, immigration and the many factors that can affect a player’s choice in what country they represent.
“I’m not just showing a football and putting up some pretty pictures or goals,” Brooks said. “No, we want to have a story that people can actually come in, read and say, ‘Wow, I didn’t know this.’ People must learn from the exhibition.”
Miami art exhibition Africa soccer World Cup AfriKin Alfonso D. Brooks Vinícius Júnior Cape Verde Kylian Mbappé calabash Black women in soccer
Wait Cape Verde isn’t even that big though? How they make the World Cup like that?
This is actually pretty cool, like using art instead of just yelling about sports. But do they have anything about Vinicius Jr like they said? I’m not sure if I read that part right.
Vinícius Júnior doing the fist thing at the entrance?? That’s kinda random for an African art show. Also the replica FIFA trophy in glass sounds kinda like a scam souvenir thing, idk.
I’m confused because it says “every African team” but then it mentions Cape Verde debut like it’s the only story. Maybe the rest is just paintings and not like actual history? Still, I guess peace and understanding or whatever… I just don’t get why a Miami exhibit is the place to do that.