Untitled

2000

Crystal, brass, frosted glass, light bulbs, light fixtures and hardware

137.2 x 152.4 x 40.6 cm

A surprising cross between a baroque chandelier and a basketball hoop, a staple of African American culture, Untitled confirms David Hammons's immense talent in dealing with symbols. The juxtaposition of these two widely dissimilar objects and aesthetics is a visual and conceptual bombshell.

David Hammons often creates bold associations. Made for the most part with found objects, his oeuvre tells a story that is both poetic and political. In Untitled, the recurring motif of the basketball hoop, presented here out of context, symbolizes the unattainable social aspirations of young urban people, in particular the African American. However, the decorum in which it is set with this electric light chandelier is of bad taste...

A powerful artwork charged with symbolism and irony, Untitled was first shown in 2006 at the Where Are We Going? exhibition at Palazzo Grassi, in Venice.
Exhibitions