Lassonde Art Trail/ orange Functional
Alexandre Arrechea’s artworks often draw on the language of everyday urban infrastructure, design, and architecture.
Orange Functional is installed at one of the main entrances to Biidaasige Park, in the plaza of Old Firehall 30. The sculpture mimics the organic form of a tree with basketball hoops at the ends of its branches. This composition echoes the new park plantings and also introduces a familiar opportunity for people to engage in play in shared space.
By changing the design of a standard piece of basketball equipment, Arrechea challenges the traditional rules of the game, inviting participants to replace rules they know with new modes of play.
This is one of a series of functional basketball sculptures produced by the artist, and he invites everyone to bring their own basketballs and take a shot. As the balls fall to the ground, they evoke the harvest of fruit and remind us of our responsibility to value nature and community experiences.
Photo Vid Ingelevics and Ryan Walker.
