I spent the last week working with this talented group of artists as they built their respective installations celebrating the culture of basketball in the Nike Battleforce Art Battle. I’d like to take a moment to talk about how these guys were selected for the project.
When choosing the right group of artists to participate, I looked for a couple things. First is personality. What I was looking for specifically was characters that would interact well with one another. It’s much like a good game of 3 on 3 street ball: what you want is guys who are fun to be around, but also can challenge your game and push you to be better in the competition. This results in stronger works altogether.
Another aspect of personality that is particularly crucial to Battleforce is hustle. We wanted artists that we thought were hard working, who put in the work and know the value of sweat. Those ones who are out there pushing the scene every day, even when nobody’s looking.
Lastly, we have aesthetics. Choosing artists from a variety of disciplines results in a body of work that has variety and depth. No two installations are going to be alike. Even if 3 of the 5 are using spray paints, they’re each using them in such different ways.
What we are hoping to create is an experience for the viewers that tells a complete and varied story. To create a snapshot of street basketball culture that people can relate to in many different ways.
In a few hours, we’ll be launching a web page that will allow you to vote for your favorite artist and installation. Stay tuned, it’s coming very soon. Then, on Nov 24, please come join us for a massive final party in BGC where you can see all 5 installations side by side for one day only. Please support these local artists!
Some photos via www.purveyr.com
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