March 13, 2016
As the illustrious NBA career of Lower Merion native Kobe Bryant winds down to the final buzzer – in sum, five NBA championships, two Finals MVP's and one regular season MVP award – the Philadelphia Art Alliance will celebrate the lifetime Laker's place not just in basketball history, but in the footwear pantheon as well.
The longtime Nike pitchman will be honored with an art exhibition, "Farewell Mamba: A Sneaker Tribute to Kobe Bryant," on Sunday, April 3 at the Philadelphia Art Alliance near Rittenhouse Square.
The exhibition, presented by the Limited Edition Gallery (LEG), will feature work from visual artists including Atlantic City's Blockhead Customs, New York's Bona Fide Icon and Martin Medina, Philly's James Wyatt and several others. Their work will include mixed-media pieces, sneaker illustrations, photography, and 3-D and stained glass paintings. Local DJ and sneakerhead Eric Vanderslice will also provide entertainment.
“I’m excited to host this event as a Kobe Bryant fan [and for his fans that] immersed in sneaker culture,” said Raeven King, head of the Limited Edition Gallery, in an interview with Footwear News.
Philly fans may have mixed feelings about Bryant, a true love him or hate him kind of talent, but this expo figures to be a nice homage to a local product who rose to the top of the NBA ranks.
Sunday, April 3
2 p.m.-4 p.m.
Philadelphia Art Alliance
251 S. 18th Street
