Blue Lotus Gallery in Hong Kong is set to showcase a remarkable exhibition that offers a unique perspective on the city’s urban landscape. Titled “SHOOTING HOOPS,” this exhibition by photographer Austin Bell presents an extensive visual catalog of Hong Kong’s outdoor basketball courts, revealing an unexpected facet of the city’s infrastructure and design.
Bell’s ambitious project involved documenting every outdoor basketball court in Hong Kong, an endeavor that led to the discovery of an astounding 2,549 courts. Relying solely on public transportation, the photographer embarked on a journey that took him through the city’s diverse neighborhoods and hidden corners. The result is a comprehensive collection of aerial photographs that not only pinpoint the locations of these courts but also highlight their distinctive designs and their stark juxtaposition against Hong Kong’s renowned vertical density.
The exhibition goes beyond mere documentation, offering viewers a fresh lens through which to view Hong Kong’s topography. Bell’s photographs capture the ubiquity of these sports facilities while simultaneously showcasing the city’s varied landscape. The aerial perspective employed in this project provides a striking contrast between the flat, geometric shapes of the basketball courts and the towering urban environment that surrounds them.
“SHOOTING HOOPS” serves as both an artistic endeavor and a unique mapping exercise. It reveals an often-overlooked aspect of Hong Kong’s urban planning and public space allocation. The exhibition promises to change the way visitors perceive basketball courts in Hong Kong, transforming them from mundane fixtures into subjects of artistic and cultural interest.
Coinciding with the exhibition, Bell is releasing a self-published book of the same title, which will be available for purchase both at the gallery and online. The book offers an opportunity for enthusiasts to delve deeper into this visual exploration of Hong Kong’s basketball courts.
