In the wake of the Spurs’ crushing defeat of Oklahoma City* last night in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, it seems an appropriate moment to visit the basketball in art. The reigning champion of the genre is David Hammons, but other artists have explored the theme as well. Here is a sampling. Defend to the End!
David Hammons, Untitled, 2000, crystal, brass, frosted glass, light fixtures, hardware and steel, 77 x 87 x 25″
David Hammons, Higher Goals, 1983 [image via grupa o.k.]
David Hammons, Higher Goals, 1986 (commissioned by Public Art Fund). Image: Pinkney Herbert and Jennifer Secor
David Hammons, Untitled (Basketball Drawing), 2004, Dirt on paper in gilded frame, found suitcase, 120 x 48 x 8 1/2″. [via Zwirner & Wirth]
David Hammons, Untitled (Basketball Drawing), 2006-2007, Courtesy L & M Arts [via LACMA]
Mel Chin, Temple of the New Gods, 2011, steel, polypropylene rope, basketball nets, basketballs, paint
dimensions variable [installation at the Nave Museum, Victoria, TX]
El Franco Lee II, The Evolution of Flight (© Image via El Franco Lee II)
Jeff Koons, Three Ball 50/50 Tank (Two Dr. J. Silver Series, One Wilson Supershot), 1985, Glass, painted steel, distilled water, plastic, and three basketballs, 60 5/8 x 48 3/4 x 13 1/4″, Museum of Modern Art, Gift of Werner and Elaine Dannheisser, © 2014 Jeff Koons
Oscar Tuason, People, 2012. Sugar maple tree, concrete, metal basketball, backboard and hoop. Image: Jason Wyche [via the New School]
Ludwig Schwarz, Untitled (War on Terror II), 2003, courtesy the artist
The Art Guys, Basketball Pyramid Maquette (for Acres Homes), 2009
Inges Idee collective, Basketballfield, 2006, Munich [via]
Finally, a special shout-out to a couple of rec centers in Florida for their remarkably good basketball-themed public art:
Artist unknown, chandeliers made from sports trophy tops, West Orange Recreation Center, Winter Garden FL
Jefre Manuel, And One, Barnett Park Recreation Center, Orlando, FL
*If you haven’t seen it yet, last month the Thunder’s Kevin Durant delivered the only basketball MVP speech likely to bring you to tears. It’s worth a watch.
Rainey Knudson is the founder of Glasstire.
9 comments
Don’t forget the Blanton’s 2012 exhibition of work by Paul Pfeiffer, “The Rules of Basketball”: http://www.blantonmuseum.org/exhibitions/details/the_rules_of_basketball
Arrgh! I knew I would forget something important.
That was a great show; Pfeiffer’s videos are wonderful.
Another: Mark Bradford, “The Practice”: http://www.pbs.org/art21/images/mark-bradford/practice-video-stills-2003?slideshow=1 .
BRADFORD! Another one I forgot.
A wonderful collection of images. Thanx, Rainey.
BTW: Why can I not log-in with my username and password that I have used for as long as I can remember?
Don’t know where else to ask this.
Hi Harvey,
We no longer have user names and passwords — you just post a comment with your email and we make sure it’s publishable (yours always are).
“hall of fame induction speeches”
http://jessemorganbarnett.com/hall-of-fame-induction-speeches
Barkley Hendricks!
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/23/sports/Barkley-Hendricks-jack-shainman-gallery.html
Here’s “BRICK” (2021) by Shamus Clisset. Elegant little video about never quite making it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HVidEuvvds
[via Blake Gopnik’s Daily Pic]