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We went to a Space Jam art exhibit and it was awesome
Great news, everyone. A Space Jam-themed art show has just opened in New York!
The New York gallery scene and the world of sports may not intersect very often, but in this instance -- in Devin Troy Strother’s Space Jam -- the result is out of this world.
When gallery patron Mark Caceres, 27, walked in to Marlborough Chelsea, the first thing he did was take a picture of the life-size paintings of Patrick Ewing and Anthony Mason near the gallery’s entrance.
“I was so excited when I came in and saw Ewing!” the Knicks fan said. Strother’s choice to paint Ewing and Mason might be the best thing that has happened to the Knicks all season.
Strother, who can count Kanye West among his fans, aspires to be the MJ of the art world, and he’s definitely made Jordan star of Space Jam. Paper cutouts of His Airness decorate odes to artists from Jackson Pollock to Joan Miro, allowing Strother to so successfully achieve what he’s best known for -- combining pop culture and art history in unexpected ways.
One of the show’s highlights is its sense of humor. A cast bronze sculpture of a deflated basketball, for example, is titled “fly like an eagle” (LeBronze).
Pascal Spengemann, one of the gallery’s directors, explained that in addition to referencing the movie, the title Space Jam is also about a young artist’s attempt to fill a large gallery in a short time. Part of the way he accomplished this was by installing a mini basketball court complete with two marble and bronze hoops. Unfortunately, the court isn’t open for pick-up games, but it is certainly a unique sight in a Chelsea gallery.
According to Spengemann, it might be the start of a trend. “A lot of artists I know are obsessed with sports,” he said.
In the meantime, check out Space Jam at Marlborough Chelsea now through Feb. 14.
