Created with 11 other murals for the 2026 World Cup Activation Events, “State of Play” brings together the sports, people, food, architecture and everyday experiences that define the Lower East Side and Chinatown. Baseball, soccer and skateboarding reflect the neighborhood’s active park culture, while a soccer player uses a globe-inspired ball connects local fields and players to the global spirit of the World Cup. Children playing in sprinklers capture the freedom and joy of being active together, while a baseball game pays homage to the field and little league teams that have long been part of the community. Surrounding these scenes are an NYC coffee cup, an immigrant family, neighborhood housing, Chinese food and flowers representing healing and mental health. The Manhattan Bridge and local skate culture further ground the mural in place. Together, these elements celebrate the park as a space where sports, play and everyday life bring people of different backgrounds and generations together.
