GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Miles away from the bustling venues of downtown Grand Rapids, at MacKay-Jaycees Park, Edwin Anderson is getting ready to work on one of the most important entries in the entire competition.
His vision is clear and his canvass is a run down basketball court.
“Run all the way down,” says Anderson with a laugh. “I understand why there haven’t been many people, it just isn’t in the best shape.”
Faded backboards and crooked double rims have seen better days and cracks are starting to show in the cement. But Anderson sees something else – something with a lot of potential to do a lot of good. Something more than just an ArtPrize entry.
“It’s more than art,” he says, “it’s also a restoration project.”
Beginning Monday and over the course of the week, Anderson and a team of volunteers will paint the court, transforming it into a life-sized piece of basketball culture. Drawing inspiration from the SpaceJam movies, both the original featuring Michael Jordan and the 2021 remake featuring LeBron James, movie-inspired designs will adorn the court by the end of Friday.
“SpaceJam is definitely a huge part of the basketball culture,” said Anderson. “Bringing a bit of a nostalgic feeling where like, you see something you grew up watching on T-V, now in your neighborhood.”
And it’s that element of pride that Anderson is trying to bring to MacKay-Jaycees Park, same as he did at Campau last year.
“The goal is to be able to bring a level of value to the park, with art,” he said. “When [people] see something and it adds value to them, now they want to take care of that, they want to protect that.”
Anderson said he’s talked to kids in surrounding neighborhoods, especially through his work with the 49507 Project. He hears the same thing over and over: there’s nothing for kids to do, no quality spaces for them to spend their time.
“A lot of times, when there isn’t much for any person to do, they’re going to find themselves in situations in which they more likely wouldn’t be part of, a lot of negative energy that might be around,” Anderson said. “The park spaces are a place where you kind of come together with many people in the community and you meet new people. That’s the place where you meet everyone in your neighborhood. That’s a place where you build relationships. A lot of these things help create space for safe growth.”
With some help from ArtPrize, Anderson and his team will also be replacing the backboards, rims, nets and benches. In years to come, he wants to do more court restorations at more local parks around the city.
To learn more about Anderson’s SpaceJam Mural, click here.
