Nike opened an office in Atlanta, and they wanted to establish their brand ethos in the environment while also capturing a feeling of city pride. Their creative team allowed me the freedom to create a mural design for the working space, one that blended together hallmarks of the city, sport, and art.
Sports can be as fundamental to the Southern experience as religion, and basketball is arguably the game of choice to play here, where the court allows for fellowship, prayers, and baptisms. The design draws inspiration from Sunday pick-up ball, stained glass windows, Ebenezer Baptist Church, and Howard Finster.
In-progress and behind-the-scenes
Move it, move it
There’s an integral element of athleticism that underscores painting murals, where installation requires the physicality of constantly walking, stepping, lifting, pushing, and pushing. It demands commitment, practice, performance, stamina, and endurance.
Often in adverse conditions, like relentless sun, stifling heat, pestering rain, or unforgiving cold, I have to paint with my whole body, for eight hours a day and seven days a week.
Ideas that weren’t chosen
Being physically active is an important part of my personal experience. I grew up playing sports and I love watching all types of competition (especially when I get to support the home teams). Coming up with designs that combine my love of art, sport, and city, for a brand that I’ve always admired, felt like a dream.
I explored my favorites, the sports, the heroes, and the landmarks, trying to find ways that could capture what these elements inspired. Ultimately, the winning combination focused on what sport represents in Atlanta.
Concept 01
My first love is skateboarding, so that’s where my ideas started. These designs depict one of the greatest modern skaters, Atlanta’s own Grant Taylor, and a Nike athlete, skating in front of The Vortex’s skull, in the heart of Little 5 Points.
Concept 02
Grant Taylor sits with shapes inspired by Isamu Noguchi’s playground design in Piedmont Park.
Concept 03
I’ll go on record and say that Thomas Taylor, Grant’s dad, established the Atlanta skate scene by opening Stratosphere Skateboards. Grant is depicted in front of the original location in Little 5 Points.
Concept 04
The Krog Street tunnel is an iconic location in Atlanta, so it only made sense to include an homage to it.
Concept 05
Sometimes, there are superstars that completely energize the city. Ronald Acuña Jr., also a Nike athlete, is one of those people and he deserves all of his applause.
Concept 06
I’ve been willing The Dirty Birds to win a chip since I was a kid. Nothing’s changed (unfortunately).
Concept 07
Similarly, I’ve been rooting for The Hawks since I was a wee tyke (ever since Spud Webb won the dunk contest) and I wanted to give a nod to my team in the concept. The original color palette was changed to be more aligned with the wallpaper used in the rest of the space.
