The event kicks off a week-long celebration that will include the African Underground Allstars' performance in Prospect Park during the Celebrate Brooklyn African Festival on Saturday, August 5 at 2pm. This annual celebration of African music, food and culture is a cross-continental affair that will you dancing all day. The event is headlined by the Congolese rumba supergroup Kékélé. The mysterious masked Nigerian Lágbájá, heir apparent to Fela Kuti's Afrobeat throne, leads the rest of the lineup, which includes Madagascar-born and Gabon-raised R&B singer Razia, and Martino Atangana & African Blue Note, whose fusion of funk, jazz and an array of West African styles throws a hint of NYC into the mix. The African Underground Allstars' NYC engagement comes to a close on Sunday, August 6 from 8 pm - 3 am with an East African Benefit Concert at Galapagos Art Space in Williamsburg.

The Gallery's current exhibition Andrew Dosunmu: The African Game, organized by Isolde Breilmaeir and Knox Robinson, provides a fitting backdrop for this engaging conversation about African life, music and culture. The exhibition has been extended through August 5 and features never before seen photographs, video footage, and a site-specific installation by photographer Andrew Dosunmu inspired by Dosunmu and Robinson's forthcoming book project The African Game (published by PUMA® North America and distributed by powerHouse Books, 2006). Using photography and narrative, Dosunmu and Robinson capture the unique culture and character of African fútbol through eyes of local communities, fans and players on the field. From Senegal and Cameroon to Ghana and Egypt, Dosunmu's photos effortlessly shift between the soccer field and the street, capturing candid moments that reveal Africa's passion for fútbol. Robinson's narrative further frames the story, elucidating the continent's deep-rooted ties to the game.

In anticipation of the panel, Isolde Brielmaier, Rotunda Gallery's new Director and Chief Curator, pointed out, "The panel of stellar MCs of the African Underground Allstars is a perfect complement to our current exhibition of Andrew Dosunmu's photography. This collaboration with Celebrate Brooklyn and Nomadic Wax is also a natural fit, given the evolving direction of Rotunda Gallery. As we strive to reach the international audiences that exists right here in Brooklyn, interdisciplinary programming like this that connects contemporary art and global culture is vital."

Celebrate Brooklyn's African Festival is presented in association with the Museum for African Art and is part of the Washington Mutual Concert Series.

NOMADIC WAX is a mobile "guerilla-style" production company and record label dedicated to recording, producing, and distributing hip-hop talent from Africa. Nomadic Wax was conceived by Benny Herson who stumbled upon a thriving underground hip-hop scene during a trip to Senegal in the summer of 1999. Today Nomadic Wax has successfully produced over 60 hip-hop groups from all over Africa. With the advent of portable digital studio technology, Nomadic Wax is able record on location, thus reaching even in the most remote of locations. With the immense success experienced in Dakar, Nomadic Wax will continue in its quest to seek out and produce hip-hop talent around the world.

THE ROTUNDA GALLERY presents contemporary art, public events and an innovative arts education program. The Gallery's aim is to increase the visibility and accessibility of contemporary art while bridging the gap between the art world and global culture in Brooklyn and the world beyond.

Consistently chosen by the press as New York City's best summer performance festival, CELEBRATE BROOKLYN is praised for its wide array of eclectic live performances and film screenings, spectacular venue, and highly diverse audience that cannot be found anywhere else. Celebrate Brooklyn is one of New York City's longest-running, free, outdoor performing arts festivals, offering music, dance, film and spoken word at the Prospect Park Bandshell each summer.

THE ROTUNDA GALLERY and CELEBRATE BROOKLYN are programs of BRIC/Brooklyn Information & Culture, which presents media, performing and visual arts programming reflective of Brooklyn's diverse communities.

Located in Brooklyn Heights, just over the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, the Gallery is a short walk from the 2,3; 4,5; M; or R trains at Court Street/Borough Hall; or the A, C trains at High Street.

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