Public Art Installation at American Dream Mall Celebrates World Cup

World Cup fans can check out a new public art installation at the American Dream mall, including soccer-themed paintings and events staged throughout the shopping destination.

Run by the Bridge Art Gallery the exhibit opened June 10 and runs through July 20, coinciding with the global tournament happening next door at the MetLife Stadium – now known as the New York New Jersey Stadium during the competition. 

The installation, part of the gallery’s Global Canvas Initiative, can be viewed for free by anyone visiting the mall and includes a market featuring a rotating lineup of artists. 

Designed to celebrate creativity, cultural exchange, and the connective power of art along with one of the largest sporting events of the year, Global Canvas Initiative is the only arts initiative taking place inside the American Dream during the World Cup and includes six programming initiatives across the venue.

“The Global Canvas Initiative is about more than art on walls,” said Mack. “It is about placing artists, culture, and creativity at the center of one of the world’s greatest cultural moments. We built something that invites everyone to the table.”

Public art sculptures and Wayfinders include works by Michael Alfano, Seward Johnson, Kalifano, and Robert Koch. There is also the Canvas Cup Live Art Championship, which spotlights match-day live painting events where two artists from competing nations face-off in a challenge judged by audience members. 

More hands-on programming includes the Bridge Visionaries Discussion Series, where global leaders discuss  sustainability, culture, creativity and sports at noon on July 9, 14 and 16. The Free Kids Craft Corner by Crafty Fox Studios includes free Sunday afternoon workshops from noon to 3 p.m. for children ages four to 14 with materials provided and no reservations are required. 

The Bridge Art Gallery was approached by a colleague that wanted to connect them with the American Dream Mall management. As the Mall planned soccer-related activities for visitors, they realized they didn’t have anything arts and culture incorporated, Mack said. After meeting with the marketing team and talking a few ideas, the Gallery made the six pillar proposal. 

“We were fully prepared for them to say they’ll take two to four of those ideas, but they were so enthusiastic about what we were bringing to the table that they approved all six,” said Mack. “This provides artists an opportunity to present their artwork, be it painters or sculptors, because you have all of this energy around FIFA. But art is just as much a connector no matter your nationality, even in soccer.” 

Among the works of various artists at Global Canvas Initiative is a specialty designed piece of soccer ball art and a painting of the world-renowned soccer star Pelé by Rene Nascimento. Various flat-screen TVs are also stationed throughout the mall for visitors to watch the World Cup games.

“Just to see people’s reactions to the Pelé piece, when they come into the space and see the artwork, they understand what the artist is communicating and connect with it,” said Mack. “It’s a universal language.” 

The sculptures around the mall have a QR code for visitors to scan that gives information about each of the artworks presented as well as access to the Gallery’s web app that offers more info about their programming. Mack hopes that the featured artists will gain visibility due to the mall’s proximity to the World Cup games.

“That’s the driving force behind this,” says Mack. “To provide artists with a platform to connect with a global audience that has traveled to support the World Cup.” 

Whether fans are passing through the American Dream mall or singing and chanting en masse, Mack has felt a unified joy and excitement since the launching of GCI. 

“Just to see the fans representing their nation and their spirit, you see the best of humanity,” she says. “Even if they’re competitors, you’ll see the fans of competing teams from different countries embracing each other in friendly competition.” 

The Bridge Art Gallery, formerly founded in Bayonne, is a contemporary art gallery that spans exhibits across the Northeast region and has locations in Jersey City and Wilmington, Delaware. The American Dream Mall is located at 1 American Dream Way.