the hoops, 2021
Designer: Yongwook Seong
The act of throwing is often associated with survival of a biological entity. In particular, ballistic throwing is used for primates to acquire foods or defend oneself from possible threats. Our ancestors used to throw sharp edged stones into their preys. Chimpanzees are also seen to use wooden sticks as a spear to hunt small animals. The act of ballistic throwing is now extended to the military uses including the uses of grenades and ballistic missiles modern days.
The very first basketball game was held at YMCA Springfield’s gym, Massachusetts, USA in 1891. James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, nailed two peach baskets at each end of the gym, and described to players that one has to throw a ball into the basket to score. Naismith recalled the game as “murderous." Players began to attack each other by kicking and punching each other. The result was brutal, and Naismith soon revised rules to make it more clear and safe.
As many sports are based on military disciplines, basketball was also strategically used as a military campaign to discipline soldiers and integrate the nation. According to Douglas Stark’s Wartime Basketball, prior to the second world war, basketball was relatively a regional sport in US. With help of YMCA's constant efforts, popularity of basketball surged and expanded to the US military as a form of military discipline in the 30s and 40s. Basketball was re-engineered with professional ethics and sportsmanship, and played nationwide to integrate different military bases and universities across the states during the wartime.
The Hoops is to retrace the genealogy of basketball, and explore alternative designs that would have been missed out during the war time. The designer ironically places each redesigned hoop in a natural surrounding, therefore experimenting an "anomaly" and unravelling its alternative stories.
Frame Hoop questions the function of a hoop as an object to be dominated and scored. It provides an unconventional lens through its own transparent backboard and a place to rest.
Levitating Hoop. Playing basketball on earth is bounded with gravity, and defying the force has been the key motivation for many players.
Four-Legged McPider lands on Mars. Playing basketball on Mars would be vastly different experiences with a third of Earth's gravity.
‘Walrusaurus’ was inspired by the Inuit mythology. The creator-god, Anguta was angered by the attack of Sedna, and he chopped her fingers into the sea. Those fingers later became walruses and seals.
Karkinos hides under the sand beach. The giant crab from the Greek mythology is afraid of the attack of Heracles after biting his foot.
Invasive plant in the desert
'Sarracenia bird' attracts preys into its pitcher by its smell and colour. Once digested and full, it flies away.
“Good morning,” said the desert flower.