Common Practice

Friends— we are excited to announce that the Common Practice newsletter will be launching this month. This outreach will offer a wider look at basketball through the lens of contemporary art, and will feature meaningful stories, interviews with artists, curators, and industry professionals, and news and events within the global art x basketball community. For those pushing their practice and doing the good work, our hope is to not only be a resource, but to provide avenues of support in whatever ways possible. To everyone who has followed along since the release of Common Practice: Basketball & Contemporary Art, along with subsequent publications, exhibitions, community projects, court renovations and public programs, we are deeply grateful. We are looking forward to activating this new chapter, and have lots more to share. Stay tuned for more soon, and thank you for your support 🖤 Photo Credit: Uriba, Sept. 1966 Via: @lowpostmodern #commonpractice

“Bobbito’s Book of B-Ball Bong Bong!: A Memoir of Sports, Style, and Soul” is a must have for the home library. We are proud to support the book release rollout with limited edition prints of the author’s 35mm photography, hand embellished by @koolboblove himself. ✨ Signed prints now available at commonpractice.online. Get yours today ! Proceeds from print sales directly support Brooklyn-based youth basketball non-profits including New Heights (@newheightsnyc ), Chosen (chosen_nyc_bball), and Brevoort (@brevoortbasketballleague ). ABOUT ‘Bong Bong’ is an intimate view into Bobbito García’s life as a ballplayer, announcer, and performer. It doubles as a profound document for the unspoken folklore and history of the outdoor game, while speaking volumes to the roots of García’s favorite pastime―putting up jumpers and getting busy with the rock in his hands. In his words: “Basketball is a religion. The park is my church” . All photos by: Bobbito García, copyright 2025 For more info. Visit cc: @akashicbooks @edgeofsports #COMMONPRACTICE #bobbitogarcia #koolboblove #bongbong #author #memoir #basketball #photography #art

Excited to support @kevin.couliau with the release of his 1st book - Blacktop Memento, fragments of erosion - available world wide via @asphaltchronicles and in the USA/Americas via @acommonpractice Link in bio… • Friends & Fam', ​​​​​​​​ I'm glad to announce the release of my 1st book — Blacktop Memento, fragments of erosion — a 160 pages artbook showcasing stills from my medium format archives, a series of 76 playground close-ups collected worldwide for more than a decade. ​​​​​​​​ Introduced by masterful author @jessejohnwashington , Blacktop Memento traces an original cartography of asperities, wrinkles, and color spectra: memories sculpted by the encounters between man and matter. ​​​​​​​​ Entirely printed and fashioned in French workshop @atelierbulk using traditional binding techniques, the book comes with an extra 44 pages booklet explaining the design & printing processes led by @richardbertetic & @lab.eillenoire .​​​​​​​​ Blacktop Memento is co-published by @asphaltchronicles & @acommonpractice in an edition of 1.000 and also comes with a limited-edition concrete sleeve (76 units) built from an ultra-resistant blend of concrete and fiberglass.​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ Follow the link in bio to grab a copy before it's too late ! ​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ If you are based in the USA/Americas, make sure to visit @acommonpractice for a faster delivery. ​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ Shout out to everybody supporting my work since day one and extra mention on this project for @richardbertetic @cee_blaze @celine__lerebourg @mistermanage @studio_florent_larronde @thibaut360 @lab.eillenoire @project_backboard @madbasic ​​​​​​​​ @nxtashia

Blacktop Memento: Fragments of Erosion by photographer Kevin Couliau documents the poetry of worn basketball surfaces, cracked asphalt, fading lines, and overlooked urban textures. A removable archival insert details the book’s production process, including CMYK color studies, material tests, print calibrations, and process notes, reframing the publication itself as an artifact of experimentation and preservation. Link in bio to purchase a copy 🖤

Now open 📍 @yourgreatpark in Irvine, CA, Project Backboard’s largest ever renovation across four full 🏀 courts with site specific artwork by 🎨 @katyanngilmore made possible with support from @artsinirvine @cityofirvine @jds.sports #playwithpurpose Join us this Sunday, May 17, from 1-3pm to celebrate with live music, free posters, art making activities, open runs on the new courts, and a 10-year retrospective exhibition of Project Backboard’s work in the Great Park Gallery along with works from @katyanngilmore and a selection of artworks celebrating basketball and community, with support from @acommonpractice Cover 📷 @resoe_27 𝘎𝘈𝘔𝘌! 𝘉𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘈𝘳𝘵 Great Park Gallery, Irvine, CA Exhibition: May 17–July 26 Opening Reception: Sunday, May 17, 1–3 p.m. Gallery Hours: Thursdays & Fridays: Noon–4 p.m., Saturdays & Sundays: 10 a.m.–4 p.m. 𝘎𝘈𝘔𝘌! 𝘉𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘈𝘳𝘵 celebrates basketball as a source of creative expression and community connection. Anchored by the imaginative resurfacing of the Great Park’s four basketball courts — which feature original, site-specific art by California artist, Katy Ann Gilmore — the exhibition showcases a selection of contemporary artists from the book, Common Practice: Basketball and Contemporary Art, exploring the culture and aesthetics of basketball, alongside a survey of Project Backboard’s national and international court renovations. Exhibiting artists include: Adrian Kay Wong @adriankaywong Andrea Bergart @andreabergart Anthony Rianda @anthonyrianda Boyang Hou @whoshobo Brian Lotti @brianlotti Cheryl Pope @cherylpope Diego Gaeta #diegogaeta Joseph Sherman @josephlouissherman JR @jr Kadir Nelson @kadirnelson Katy Ann Gilmore @katyanngilmore Kevin Couliau @kev.couliau Madame Fraankie @mmefraankie Madjeen Isaac @madjeenisaac Paul Pfeiffer @pmp2021 Paula Henderson @paulahenderson222 RaMell Ross @ramellross Rebekah Andrade @rebekah_andrade Reuben Gordon @reubensfunkykitchen Todd Hebert @toddhebert_ Tyrrell Wi

Image 🎨@carlosrolon 𝘎𝘈𝘔𝘌! 𝘉𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘈𝘳𝘵 Great Park Gallery, Irvine, CA Exhibition: May 17–July 26 Opening Reception: Sunday, May 17, 1–3 p.m. Gallery Hours: Thursdays & Fridays: Noon–4 p.m., Saturdays & Sundays: 10 a.m.–4 p.m. 𝘎𝘈𝘔𝘌! 𝘉𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘈𝘳𝘵 celebrates basketball as a source of creative expression and community connection. Anchored by the imaginative resurfacing of the Great Park’s four basketball courts — which feature original, site-specific art by California artist, Katy Ann Gilmore — the exhibition showcases a selection of contemporary artists from the book, Common Practice: Basketball and Contemporary Art, exploring the culture and aesthetics of basketball, alongside a survey of Project Backboard’s national and international court renovations. Exhibiting artists include: Adrian Kay Wong @adriankaywong Andrea Bergart @andreabergart Anthony Rianda @anthonyrianda Boyang Hou @whoshobo Brian Lotti @brianlotti Cheryl Pope @cherylpope Diego Gaeta #diegogaeta Joseph Sherman @josephlouissherman JR @jr Kadir Nelson @kadirnelson Katy Ann Gilmore @katyanngilmore Kevin Couliau @kev.couliau Madame Fraankie @mmefraankie Madjeen Isaac @madjeenisaac Paul Pfeiffer @pmp2021 Paula Henderson @paulahenderson222 RaMell Ross @ramellross Rebekah Andrade @rebekah_andrade Reuben Gordon @reubensfunkykitchen Todd Hebert @toddhebert_ Tyrrell Winston @tyrrellwinston

#pregame🎨🚧🏀… 🎨 @katyanngilmore

Raoul Hausman Dada Siget (Dada Conquers) , 1920 Collage mounted, black paper 23.5” x 16.25” Private Collection Bridgeman Images Artist Roghts Society, New York

“Basket Girl” Hamilton King, 1913 Commercial Color Lithograph 7 15/16” x 5 7/8” Issued by Turkish Trophies Cigarettes #commonpractice

Looking back to when we worked with Project Backboard, Common Practice, and Artist Rights Society to transform the quilted work of artist Faith Ringgold, titled “Windows of the Wedding #1”, into a large scale basketball court mural in Harlem’s St. Nicholas Park. In the 1970’s, Faith Ringgold’s practice expanded beyond traditional oil paintings to her first unstretched works bordered with pieced fabric, inspired by Tibetan thangka paintings, including the “Windows of the Wedding” series Ringgold made in collaboration with her mother Willi Posey. The 20 works in the “Windows of the Wedding” series represent the imaginary future weddings of Ringgold’s daughters. These works ultimately led to Ringgold’s first story quilts in the 1980s. With generous support from @5starbasketball , we were able to bring these courts to life, and host a special day that included a youth training program led by @nodaysoffla + @teamhuncbasketball , and 3 v 3 tournament, co-hosted by NYC basketball league @mobadanga . Special thanks to @nycparks @s.a.v.e._surfacing_llc @coachhawkinsumes @jzzam_peterson fosnpnyc CC: @k1ndredstudio , @project_backboard , @acommonpractice @faithringgold @artistsrightssociety (C) Anyone Can Fly FDN , Artist Rights Society (ARS) New York

Celebrating five years of bridging art and basketball - we will be sharing some of the images and works that were either featured in, or inspired the book, “Common Practice: Basketball & Contemporary Art”. Please credit artists + rights holders w/ any shares + re-posts and thank you 🖤 “Ball Player” Alexander Calder, 1927 Wire + Wood (C) Calder Foundation Artist Rights Society /Art Resource NY

The Andy Warhol Camouflage court at Lower East Side Playground demanded further investigation and story. The essay, live now on Common Practice, connects Warhol to the neighborhood, to the history of camouflage, and explores the ways in which graffiti has become part of the fabric of the East Village. Words by Blake Gillespie 📷: @kev.couliau (slides 3, 6, 8) Reproduction of Andy Warhol’s Camouflage created in 2025 by Project Backboard © The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.