Whitehot Magazine
"The Best Art In The World"
By CLAUDIA June 10, 2024
Amref Health Africa’s 2024 ArtBall Recap
Photos: Rupert Ramsay/BFA
On May 5, the world’s leading African healthcare organization Amref Health Africa held their annual ArtBall at Industria in Williamsburg.
The night started with a VIP dinner and fireside chat with Marc Lacey, Managing Director of the New York Times, among other speakers. Dinner was followed by a gala and auction hosted by Sotheby’s, and featured a performance by Les Ballet Afrik. The night was hosted by American theatre actor Sahr Ngaujah.
Guests including editor Lindsey Peoples, CNN editor Earl Nurse, curator Storm Ascher, writer Nadja Sayej, artists Malik Roberts and Tariku Shiferaw, and author Wanjiru Mwangi. Speakers notables notables including author and activist Carol Jenkins, and Sotheby’s AVP Kimberly Pertle.
Art critic and curator Franklin Sirmans presented artist Kehinde Wiley with the Rees Visionary Award named after Amref founder Dr. Thomas Rees, and honoring individuals who have changed the discourse around African and Black art.
This year the gala and auction raised $982,500, making 2024 the most successful year in the Amref ArtBall’s history and enabling more health outreach in Africa. In 2023 alone Amref reached 31 million people across the continent. WM
Claudia is an artist and writer born and raised in New York City.
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