Sosena Solomon: From Philly to the Metropolitan Museum of Art
When the Michael C. Rockefeller Wing at The Metropolitan Museum of Art reopens, visitors will be greeted not only by the treasures of Africa’s past, but by the living, breathing stories of its present—brought to life through the lens of acclaimed Philadelphia-based Ethiopian-American filmmaker and visual artist Sosena Solomon.
Commissioned by The Met in collaboration with the World Monuments Fund, Solomon’s new series of short documentary films offers an immersive window into Africa’s diverse cultural landmarks. Over two years, Solomon journeyed across twelve nations—including Ethiopia, Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria—capturing the essence of heritage sites that pulse with spiritual and communal significance.
“It’s really been an honor,” Sosena Solomon reflected in our recent conversation. “We went to 12 countries—Senegal, Tanzania, Nigeria, Uganda, and more—filming cultural landmarks that are undergoing preservation. These aren’t just ruins. These are living, breathing spaces of spiritual and communal significance.”
Solomon’s approach is deeply personal. A graduate of Temple University and a lecturer at both the University of Pennsylvania and the Community College of Philadelphia, she has dedicated her career to preserving and reimagining Afro-Diasporic storytelling. Her previous works—Living While American, Merkato, and Itifworq / Double Gold—have earned accolades at Sundance, DOC NYC, and Tribeca for their intimate, character-driven narratives.
But the Met commission, Sosena Solomon admits, felt especially humbling: “I never imagined my name on the walls of the Met. Everything I’ve done has prepared me for this moment.”
Sosena Solomon: Exploring Cultural Landmarks in Africa
The films, which range from meditative in-gallery experiences to longer online pieces accessible via QR codes, center the voices of local caretakers—those who live within and steward these sacred spaces. “This project was about visibility and respect,” Solomon explained. “For viewers, it’s not just a visual journey—it’s a spiritual one. You travel across Africa through these stories and connect to the past in new ways.”
According to The Met’s official press release, the collaboration marks a new era of museum storytelling—one that centers on care, resilience, and living heritage. “This work isn’t just about the past,” Solomon emphasized. “It’s about cultural survival, continuity, and the people who are still there, still telling their stories, still fighting to be seen.”
For those unable to visit New York in person, Solomon’s films will also be available online through The Met’s digital platforms, ensuring that audiences everywhere can experience the richness of Africa’s cultural landscapes.
As our conversation drew to a close, Solomon shared her ongoing commitment to culture preservation: “I love cinema. I teach film at the University of Pennsylvania. I love making films, but I really am passionate about culture preservation…”
That passion pulses through every frame of this project—bridging the sacred with the seen, and connecting the diaspora through the lens of reverence and restoration. As Solomon embarks on her next project—an archival music initiative in Lagos—her work continues to inspire, educate, and illuminate the enduring power of African heritage.
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