THE basketball courts at Murray Park have just undergone a complete renovation. In addition to resurfacing and new fiberglass backboards, the courts now sport a pair of murals by Edgar Heap of Birds on their pavement. Here is the story behind it.
An organization by the name of Project Backboard, whose mission is:
“to renovate public basketball courts and install large scale works of site specific art on the surface in order to strengthen communities, improve park safety, encourage multi-generational play, and inspire people to think more critically and creatively about their environment.”
partnered up with MoMA PS1 to be their sponsor for this project. The artist Edgar Heap of Birds is a trustee of PS1, and they held an exhibit of his work back in 2019. He is also enrolled in the Arapaho and Cheyenne Tribes.
As for the Murray Hill basketball courts, they have been in serious need of renovation for years now. Though it may have taken much longer than expected, this art work is a great addition to the neighborhood. Kudos to Project Blackboard and MoMA PS1 for stepping up to the plate and then hitting a home run, or in this case a buzzer beater. Either way, this country needs more of these types of astute partnerships!
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[…] The backboards on the courts were also replaced. News of the project was first reported by LICTalk. […]