METUCHEN, NJ — A soccer ball sculpture from this summer's World Cup public art project now has a permanent home in Metuchen, Mayor Jonathan M. Busch said.
Busch announced in a Facebook post that the borough received "Rock," a six-foot sculpture by artist Matthew Day Jackson. The piece was previously displayed outside the Brooklyn Museum. It now sits next to Edgar Field, which Busch said was recently renovated.
Busch credited the Metuchen Arts Council and Council Member Meg Suchan for helping bring the piece to town. He said Metuchen was selected as a Legacy Partner.
"Families, players and visitors can enjoy it as they come together for games, practices and time outdoors," Busch said.
The sculpture is part of "The Art of the Game," which ran from June 11 to Sept. 7. The project placed 23 soccer ball sculptures, each by a different artist, in parks, plazas, transit hubs and museums across New York and New Jersey. ARTS 14C created it in partnership with the New York New Jersey 2026 FIFA World Cup Host Committee.
With the tournament over, the project has moved into a second phase called the Legacy Program, according to ARTS 14C.
Under the program, sculptures are placed by donation with municipalities, parks, museums, universities and other public-serving organizations in both states. Those partners become long-term caretakers of the works and keep them in publicly accessible spaces.
ARTS 14C said the project was designed to outlast the tournament. Other sculptures will go into public and private collections.
Municipalities, counties, parks, museums and other civic or nonprofit cultural groups can apply for a donated sculpture through ARTS 14C.
Busch thanked the Metuchen Arts Council "and everyone who helped bring this special piece of World Cup history to our community."
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