Everson exhibit ‘Hoop Dreams’ embraces art, history of basketball

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Whether it’s watching Stephen Curry make shots from half court or Michael Jordan gracefully fly through the air on a dunk, Marlon Forrester ultimately sees the sport of basketball as an outlet for expression and creativity.

“Basketball is not just a sport, but a cultural phenomenon in which the untapped artistic expression manifested through the game has a global impact on youth culture and corporate investment,” Forrester said.

Forrester is among many other artists who combined their love for the sport with their artistic abilities to create a new display at the Everson Museum of Art. The combination of basketball and creative expression came together to make “Hoop Dreams: Basketball and Contemporary Art.” The exhibit will be on display through May 21.

The exhibition highlights the history of basketball and the unique connection that Syracuse has to the game. Forrester, like many of the other artists featured, sees the court as not just a place for people to compete, but an area for individual creativity to thrive.

Steffi Chappell, the curator and exhibit manager at the Everson, said that the exhibit is a way to introduce the museum to basketball fans who may not have been as captivated by the other programs in the museum.

“By showing the connections between art and basketball, I hope that ‘Hoop Dreams’ helps us reach a new audience that ultimately finds something they love about the Everson, and can keep coming back for years to come,” Chappell said.

Chappell said that all of the artists who are displayed in the exhibit have some sort of connection to basketball, and each brings their personal experience with the sport to the exhibit. Some of the artists played basketball in high school or college, and some were lifelong fans of the game, she said.

Jason Middlebrook, another featured artist, loved the sport growing up in Oakland, California, and even spent some time playing in college at the University of California Santa Cruz. He said that he wanted to show his respect for the game with his work, and every piece that is featured in the exhibit is a symbol of his love of basketball.

One of the pieces that Middlebrook worked on is an installation called “Respect the Call,” which is a variety of 33 basketball hoops mounted on a wall. Middlebrook wanted the display to recognize all levels of basketball and give people an interactive experience at the exhibit, he said. Guests can even shoot on one of the hoops and work on their free throws.

Middlebrook said that each of the hoops in “Respect the Call” are different and represent the array of places people can play basketball, such as street courts. The installation helps to further explore the history of basketball, specifically the evolution of the hoop, he said.

“It’s called ‘respect’ because it’s about pickup basketball, but also respecting the rules of the game and respecting the players,” Middlebrook said.

Middlebrook also helped to design a mosaic basketball display that pays homage to Syracuse’s history of basketball, and holds two of them specifically close to his heart.

Jason Middlebrook designed mosaic basketballs as a part of the exhibit. The pieces were dedicated to the 1955 Syracuse nationals and the 2003 Syracuse University men’s basketball team.. Cassandra Roshu | Asst. Photo Editor

The first honors the 2003 Syracuse University men’s basketball team, which won the national championship that year. The ball celebrates the 20th anniversary of the first and only national championship in the program’s history.

The second basketball commemorates the 1955 Syracuse Nationals. In the summer of 1954, Danny Biasone and Leo Ferris, owner and general manager of the Syracuse Nationals respectively, helped to design the 24-second shot clock. The clock was then used to speed up the pace of play in the National Basketball Association, and was first used in the 1954-55 NBA season.

In that same exhibit, there is also a set of three balls that show the development of professional basketball over time, all of which Middlebrook designed. On the top of the display is a mosaic of a ball designed by Spalding, the original supplier of basketballs to the NBA. In the middle is the ball used in the American Basketball Association, which is famous for its red, white, and blue coloring. Lastly, there is a mosaic of the current ball used in the NBA, supplied by the Wilson brand.

“I wanted to treat the balls like jewels, because they’re important markers for the trajectory of the NBA and in basketball and the NCAA,” Middlebrook said.

Forrester discussed how art is a vehicle for “human consciousness,” and that similar to basketball players, everyone has their own style. He said basketball is a special sport because of the amount of individual expression that players can show, and although the sport is played between teams, players can use their unique skill sets while on the court.

Basketball has also had a significant cultural influence on fashion, Forrester said. Shoes such as Chuck Taylors and Air Jordans, which were once used to help athletes up their athletic ability, are now pieces used to bolster people’s sense of style.

“The game of basketball is a reflection of that human expression and style, through the dribbling, shooting, passing, dunking, clothing and sneaker design,” Forrester said.

Chappell wants those who attend the exhibit to see how meaningful basketball is to so many people, especially the artists whose work is being displayed, she said. Forrester shared this sentiment — he said the exhibit reflects the collective joy that basketball brings to so many, particularly in the Syracuse area.

“Whether you are in the stands cheering on your favorite team or playing yourself, the human capacity for love remains the connective tissue that holds us together,” Forrester said. “The paintings, sculptures, video, installations and performances in ‘Hoop Dreams’ calls attention to a higher awareness of this multifaceted experience. It further illustrates how sports humanize us.”