“Bridging Futures brings together twenty distinct voices whose work embodies resilience in the face of uncertainty. In a time of diminishing governmental support for the arts, contracting freedoms, and divisive ideologies that fracture our collective focus, this exhibition calls for renewal through unity. These artists remind us that creativity can hold the hope needed to reaffirm our capacity to imagine new worlds.”
Curated By: Nkechi Ebubedike
Karina Sharif
Aerial View
Paper, watercolor, gouache, elastic, found wooden object, wood, vinyl, wax-coated string
18″ W × 32″ H × 22″ D
$10,000
Enam Gbewonyo
Mar + Vin
Michele Pred
Good Trouble Power of the Purse
Sculpture, vintage purse with electroluminescent wire
13 × 11 × 3 in
$3,200
Mikael Owunna
Karina Sharif
Channel 6
Stoneware, porcelain, paper stoneware, found stone, glaze, steel
16.5″ W × 17.75″ H × 3.5″ D
$4,000
Our Hosts
Nana Dabanka
Translator and legal professional at a New York law firm. Nana is also the President of Star 100, a network of Ghanaian professionals driving community initiatives. She most recently joined the Board of BLUE: The TATTER Textile Library.
Suneeta Olympio-Locoh
Partner and Head of Photography at Dela Revolucion, home to leading visionary creatives. Prior to DLR, Suneeta was the Executive Producer at Art+Commerce, a photo agency.
Kojo Yeboah
Creative Director and Brand Architect committed to reshaping the trajectory of African brands and scaling the continent’s creative economy. Also, Founder of SOLVNT, a strategy and brand-building agency focused on aligning creative vision with strategic growth.
Jodie Patterson
Globally recognized author, activist, and public speaker acknowledged by The United Nations as a Champion of Change. She sits on the boards of the Human Rights Campaign and Mount Sinai Hospital.
Estelle Bailey-Babenzien
The co-founder of acclaimed clothing brand Noah, with stores in the USA, Japan, and Seoul, and the founder of Dream Awake Design, an interior architecture and design studio with clients including J.Crew and Tracksmith. Her entrepreneurial work in creative direction has spanned music, fashion, and interior design.
Ria Ramkissoon
Hospitality professional with roots in Trinidad and Tobago. She co-founded Harry’s Daughter, a celebrated Caribbean restaurant in NJ, and currently leads the food program at The Roger’s, a bar in Brooklyn.
Andrea Wells
A creative connector and event curator, she specializes in bridging the worlds of home and art. Andrea has sold over $100 million in NYC real estate sales, cultivating a dynamic network and forging strategic partnerships.
Nkechi Ebubedike
Nigerian-American artist whose work has been exhibited across the United States, Africa, and Europe. Her work is in the Hessel Museum collection at Bard College.
Elaine Mellis
Founder of ARTSelerator, a contemporary arts consultancy. Elaine supports numerous nonprofit arts organizations as an engaged advocate and board member, strengthening opportunities for artists to thrive.
@elainemellis
The Cause:
Future of Africa Foundation
From the Streets to a Future: One Organization Is Rewriting the Story of Homeless Youth in Africa. In Accra, a grassroots initiative is helping children turn survival into opportunity.
From Durban to Alexandria, from Nairobi to Accra, child homelessness is a growing crisis across Africa. A 2011 joint estimate by the International Labour Organization and UNICEF found that more than 30 million children on the continent live in street situations. In Ghana, the number of homeless children in Accra has surged from about 33,000 in 2011 to roughly 204,000 today. Future of Africa (FOA) is confronting this challenge head-on. The Accra-based non-profit mentors homeless and at-risk youth, helping them build hope, develop character, and gain practical skills to break the cycle of poverty. Through daily street outreach, volunteers engage directly with children, offering mentorship, education, and a pathway toward stability.
Our Partners