African Art, Travel & Conservation Pioneer with 45-Year Legacy Debuts First-Ever Storefront at 88 Leonard Street, NYC

Hemingway African Gallery & Safaris, the leading wholesale importer of fine African art and home furnishings, announces the opening of a new gallery at 88 Leonard Street in Tribeca. Relocating after nearly 45 years in The Manhattan Art and Antiques Center, the new street-level space brings African art, design, travel, and wildlife conservation under one roof to present visitors with a holistic vision of the gallery’s next chapter as a destination for African culture in the heart of Tribeca. 

The new gallery is the result of a collaboration between Hemingway African Gallery & Safaris and real estate management company Jamestown, developer of notable adaptive reuse projects including Chelsea Market in Manhattan, Industry City in Brooklyn and Ponce City Market in Atlanta. Hemingway African Gallery & Safaris at Jamestown’s 88 Leonard Street will serve as a vibrant cultural attraction within the mixed-use development. 

“I’ve spent nearly half a century leading safaris across Sub-Saharan Africa, collecting art and building relationships along the way. The most rewarding experience has been sharing a piece of Africa with others through the gallery,” said Brian Gaisford, co-founder, Hemingway African Gallery & Safaris. “As my children take the reins to lead this business into the future, I’m excited at the prospect of offering even more access to the Africa we love through art and education all from our new Tribeca location.”

The relocation has enabled Hemingway African Gallery & Safaris to expand their offerings spanning fine African art, home furnishings, and safari tourism. Guests to the gallery have the opportunity to browse and experience the following: 

• Shona Sculptures: Dating from 1956 to today and sourced directly from Shona artists in Zimbabwe, these stone sculptures are the best-known manifestation of African contemporary art.
• African Antique Art: One-of-a-kind authentic antique artifacts such as wooden masks and sculptures.
• Decorative African Art: Purchased only from artists or owners whom Hemingway approves of historically and aesthetically, the gallery’s collection includes thousands of pieces representing design in Africa across styles and generations. 
• Home & Furniture: With a wide variety of African home furnishings from table-top decorative pieces to large furniture, Hemingway serves as a collaborator to the home design world, providing guidance on the African and safari aesthetic. 
• Additional collections including: Ethiopian painted wooden panels, traditional Zimbabwe Tonka stools, Bozo fish puppets, antique silver and beaded jewelry, Cameroon dancing shields, Ghanaian Ashanti stools, hand-painted African movie posters, hand-beaded Zulu belts, and more. 
• Safari Tourism: Visitors to Hemingway can meet with Safari guides who can help them  explore trip options to the continent curated by the Gaisford family. The mission of Hemingway Safaris is to introduce clients to a broader picture of Africa, one that embraces the people and culture, remote wilderness adventure, and wildlife conservation. 
• Wildlife Conservation: Hemingway integrates conservation into every safari through education and partnerships with trusted organizations. These include The Conflict Awareness Project, which tracks weapons to stop the source of rhino poaching; Wild and Free, a holistic approach to saving the rhinos by uplifting poachers with soccer; and working with Brent Stapelkamp, the lead researcher who broke the story about Cecil the Lion, to stop lion trophy hunting, amongst others. The new Tribeca location will be a center for monthly conservation meetings and fundraisers. 

Founded in 1975 by friends Brian Gaisford and Gregory Hemingway, the historic and family-run business has spent more than four decades bringing African culture to new audiences. The tourism branch of the business, Hemingway Safaris, was incorporated in the early 1980s leveraging Brian’s experience as a South African safari guide and his many trips to the continent sourcing antique art. 

Now in its 45th year and under the direction of sibling team Logan and Tuck Gaisford, the art and travel venture enters Tribeca’s growing art scene as interest in African culture increases. Today, the mission-driven business is dedicated to educating and inspiring guests by spreading awareness related to African culture, art preservation and wildlife conservation. 

Hemingway African Gallery & Safaris is located on the ground floor of 88 Leonard Street, between Church Street and Broadway. The gallery is open from Monday-Saturday 11am-7pm & Sunday 11am-4pm. The Gallery will host a launch event in fall 2019 with a spotlight on African artists. 

Media Contacts

Hemingway African Gallery & Safaris 

pr@hemingwaysafaris.com