I was Waterkant Gallery this evening being inspired by some of the African prints they display. It was here that curator and i struck up a conversation about the soccer images that people had begun producing to celebrate the World Cup. It was a while ago that i read about this women, Jessica Hilltout and her beautiful portrayel of the game of soccer in Africa. She has recently produced a book, Amen, that documents the beautiful images. it is in these images, that one can see how a game can inspire passion, friendship and a smile in the most rural of situations. These images portray how a ball doesn't need to be white and labeled and how having no shoes doesnt mean a game is any less important. Her work is honest, beautiful and African! Amongst the glitz and the glamour of this world cup, i hope we refer back to Amen-type images and remember how a game can inspire hope!
