A perfect fit for the Magic city and its love of basketball, renowned contemporary artist, Cj Hendry unveils HOOPS Tree, a stunning basketball tree public art installation.
Working with the city of Miami, HOOPS Tree has been in the works for the past year, and stands at a towering 20 ft with 34 hoops reminiscent of chandeliers hanging from the sky. Located in the Wynwood art district, HOOPS Tree is a rich deep blue popping out from the oceanic landscape.
Revealed on December 6th to the public, anyone who successfully sank 34 baskets in a row in each hoop on video in the opening days was potentially able to claim a prize of 1 million dollars!
Images used with artist’s permission.
“It’s been a focus to try my hand at public art. I enjoy the intimacy of my drawing practice but there is a part of me which gets frustrated because I want to make larger works. I have been building multi-faceted large scale exhibitions for quite some time but the downside to building a temporary exhibition is that it’s only temporary.
This HOOPS concept is my first foray into a permanent public concept. I am so fortunate to be partnering with the Miami City council in such a big capacity. They took a risk on me and I am very grateful for the opportunity.
Designing HOOPS Tree has been interesting because its scale is enormous and it’s so much heavier than I anticipated. The engineering team helped with the specs to make it safe and sturdy. All these components make for a fascinating combination of practicality and creativity.
Having an artwork that will live on in a public space indefinitely is a real honor and I am so excited to see it come to life”
-CJ Hendry
Images via Maximus Communications. M@MaximusCommunications.com
