Pictured is the final design of a new mural that will be painted on the basketball court at Hurley Park in Marquette late this summer. The design, titled “Fast Break,” is the work of Detroit-based artists Joey Salamon and Ivan Montoya. The Marquette Public Art Commission selected the design at its April 14 meeting after hours of deliberation among three finalists and their submissions. Fifty-two artists or artist teams from across the U.S. submitted potential designs for the project, referred to as the “Queen City Courts” project. The Marquette City Commission approved a contract with Salamon and Montoya at its May 10 meeting. (Artwork courtesy of MPAC)

MARQUETTE — A colorful mural will soon don the Hurley Park basketball court in the city of Marquette.

Known as the Queen City Courts project, the new court design is intended to “increase park usage and attract players of all ages and levels of experience, from families to students and adults,” according to the city website.

Earlier this year, the city put out a Request for Qualifications seeking out artists or teams of artists for the project, receiving 52 submissions nationwide.

The Marquette Public Art Commission reviewed each submission at its March 10 meeting, narrowing the pool to three finalists.

The finalists were thoroughly discussed at MPAC’s April 14 meeting, and after four hours of deliberation, it selected the team of Joey Salamon and Ivan Montoya of Detroit and the duo’s “Fast Break” design.

Several MPAC members expressed their satisfaction with the design, which features a blue center court colorway surrounded by bursting colors for kids and adults alike to enjoy, even beyond the game of basketball.

“There were a lot of great options from the design submissions and coming to a decision was not an easy process,” MPAC member Steven Hughes said. “MPAC discussed the merits of the designs in response to design specifications that we provided the artists such as a need for a limited color palette, being suitable to all ages and the ability to maintain and keep it looking good for years to come. Everyone on the commission brought forward their favorites and we went through several rounds of voting to narrow things down. We also received a great deal of positive feedback on the submissions from the community and it was a big factor in our conversations about the work.

“With respect to the selected design by Joey Salamon and Ivan Montoya, we felt that the layout of this court design would provide children with a multitude of places for imaginative play, even beyond basketball. Looking at the design reminds me of being a kid and following circuitous paths or painted lines at playgrounds, or hopping from crack to crack on a sidewalk. There are many different pathways or opportunities to jump from circle to circle inventing their own rules and games within the court. Aesthetically, I also felt this design handled the limited color palette well to section off areas and create shadows and illusions of depth.”

Montoya said he and Salamon, who are both highly experienced muralists, came up with the final design based off of several aspects, including guidelines provided by the MPAC and an interpretation of the community.

“Fast Break came to life after taking into consideration the guidelines given to us by the MPAC, the court layout and our interpretation of the park and the greater Marquette area,” he said. “We wanted to make sure the court was functional in its readability for the players, while simultaneously enhancing the motion of the game. In regards to process, we wanted to combine graphic abstractions from Joey’s work and my decorative old-world motifs in relation to the function of each part of the court.”

Montoya said this is the first time he and Salamon will be taking on a court mural.

“We applied because it seemed like a super exciting project in an equally exciting city,” he said. “Neither of us have done basketball court murals in the past, so it made sense to team up and take on this unique challenge together.

“We feel super grateful to have been chosen over 50 applicants from across the country. We’re thrilled to add to the already vibrant life and culture of Marquette, and can’t wait to immerse ourselves in the city.”

Finalists’ designs were shared with the community, which provided an overwhelming amount of support for each design and the project as a whole.

“At our April meeting, we listened to public comments, with the majority being very supportive and excited about the project,” said MPAC member Linnea Gustafson. “We had concerns that some designs would be harder to maintain than others. After hours of thoughtful in-depth conversations, and looking closely at the designs, we were all in agreement that this (Fast Break) was the design for Queen City Court at Hurley Park.”

Gustafson said the original idea for the project came from Hughes, who was inspired by a national organization that combines contemporary art with basketball courts across the country.

“Steve had brought Project Backboard basketball court mural projects done around the country to our attention,” she said. “We all thought it would be a new, fun and interactive way to enjoy public art in Marquette. Hurley Park was easily decided on as we knew the park was in need of some rejuvenation. We were excited to learn that Marquette Rotary would be replacing the park playground equipment, too.”

Project Backboard is a nonprofit organization “whose mission is to renovate public outdoor basketball courts and install large-scale works of art on the surface in order to strengthen communities, improve park safety and inspire multigenerational play,” according to its website. The city has consulted with Project Backboard several times so far.

Despite being a centerpiece of south Marquette, Hurley Park has become a “problem area” in recent years. With this in mind, the city has been doing its part to upgrade all facets of the park. The softball field was repaired after controversy surrounding dangerous playing conditions in 2019, the old playground equipment is set to be replaced in the near future, and the basketball court is up next.

Hughes hopes the mural adds a needed identity for a historic part of town.

“I remember looking for basketball courts in the area when I moved to Marquette 10 years ago,” he said. “The Hurley Park court was very hidden and after (a number of) years, it needed an update. One of our goals in adding artwork to the court is to establish an identity for the area, and in developing this project, the city is able to improve the facilities so that it is more accessible and inviting for play. The south Marquette area to me always felt a little disconnected, and introducing artwork in unexpected places is exciting. Anyone who’s walked through a city and turned a corner to unexpectedly see a mural knows how amazing that can be.

“Integrating artwork into the fabric of the community allows us to provide everyone a chance to feel like they’ve discovered this little treasure in their own backyard or neighborhood.”

Despite some amount of public criticism, citing that murals can detract from playing the game of basketball, support for the project has been strong, including from the Marquette City Commission, which approved the selection of Salamon and Montoya at its May 10 meeting.

“I think this is a really, really cool project,” Commissioner Evan Bonsall said. “Wind back the clock 10 or 12 years when I was going to school in this neighborhood at Bothwell Middle School, my friends and me would play basketball in various places around town, but even though we went to school right there in that neighborhood, I don’t think we ever played on this court, because it was always in rough shape. I think that not only is this going to be a great thing for the community in terms of revitalizing this basketball court, but back then if my friends and me had seen this design painted on the court, it wouldn’t have deterred us from playing basketball, we would have not played anywhere else. I think this is going to be a really great thing for the community and the neighborhood, and I think that people, even if they have concerns right now, I think when it’s done, people will learn to love it.”

“I really appreciate the thought and the work that went into this by the Public Art Commission,” Commissioner Sally Davis added. “They did a lot of research. I know that there’s been some opposition in the community to painting a mural on a basketball court. At the same time, the Public Art Commission in their research found that this kind of a mural actually increases the use of a basketball court. This is a park that I walk by quite frequently, pretty much every day, and I am especially pleased that the court is going to be redone. It just really needs some work to it, so it will be resurfaced and then the mural will be put on. I think it’s a great addition to the new playground equipment that is going to be going up at the same park, that again has been funded by community members.

“I just think the vibrancy of this playground and the basketball court are going to do so much for that little neighborhood and for our community (as a) whole.”

The commission voted 7-0 to approve a contract with Salamon and Montoya in an amount of $15,000, with additional funds set aside for asphalt removal, asphalt installation, line work, sealant and backboards. The entire project and future maintenance will be funded by the Marquette Public Art Fund.

The mural will be placed on an annual maintenance schedule and will be reassessed no more than 10 years down the line. At that point, the MPAC will decide to keep, recommission or remove the mural.

The MPAC will also provide city residents the opportunity to meet Montoya and Salamon during the installation process. The city’s Arts and Culture Office will continue to promote the mural through interactive programming, such as public art tours, basketball clinics and other activities.

The original “Fast Break” featured a red center court colorway, which MPAC asked Salamon and Montoya to revise.

“We had a revision built into the design contract, which allowed us to request different colorways and request changes to the design,” Gustafson said. “With many art professionals on the commission, we wanted to see how it would look with blue in the center instead of red. When all was said and done, all preferred the redesigned color combination.”

“The MPAC asked us to revise the center of the court from red to blue in order to avoid a potentially distracting visual contrast between the red of the court and the surrounding field of green grass,” Montoya added. “We definitely agree with the decision to revise the original design, and feel that this change definitely makes more sense in regards to the space the design will inhabit. The red was originally meant to add a earthy contrast to the colorful abstractions, but the blue is definitely a bit more relevant, especially considering the water surrounding Marquette.”

Montoya also said that any chance to integrate art with other aspects of life is one he and Salamon are proud to jump on.

“We believe that art should be integrated with every aspect of life,” he said. “Athletics is no exception. We believe that public art enhances a space and a mood, and this mural will add another layer of interest for those using the court either as players or spectators.”

Construction and painting of the mural is expected to commence in late August or early September, and Gustafson can’t wait to utilize the final product.

“What I really like about this design is that it should appeal to everyone and that it has an opportunity for interactive play beyond basketball,” she said. “I can’t wait to take my own children there. It will be fun to see how they interact and play on the mural while I shoot some hoops.”