Austin Bell Captures Hong Kong's Beauty Through Its Basketball Courts in 'Shooting Hoops'
Mapping all 2,549 pockets of color in a new photo book and exhibition.
In 2017, peripatetic photographer Austin Bell visited Hong Kong for the first time and was immediately captivated by the vibrant, outdoor basketball courts scattered throughout the city – an eye-catching contrast to the muted asphalt of U.S. courts. That fascination grew into a mission when Bell returned in 2019, this time, with an ambitious goal: to photograph all 2,549 of the city’s courts.
This project, entitled Shooting Hoops, is now the central focus of a new photo book and exhibition at Blue Lotus Gallery that chronicles his exhaustive exploration. Juxtaposed against the backdrop of Hong Kong’s towering urban landscape, Bell’s work captures the charm of each space, revealing the unique topography of a city where space is at a premium.
The project expands on Bell’s interest in “sports surfaces,” where he uses basketball courts as a lens to explore various cities, though to his surprise, the volume of Hong Kong’s outdoor courts outnumber that of any city worldwide.
From outlying islands to tourist hubs, Bell amassed over 40,000 photographs over the course of several months, once capturing 475 unique courts in a single day. “My obsession was fuelled by two desires: to show an unseen perspective of Hong Kong and to fully explore a city that I feel so captivated by,” he explained.
Priced at $49 USD, the Shooting Hoops book is now available for pre-order on the artist’s website, and the accompanying exhibition will be on view in Hong Kong from January 17 through February 23, 2025.
Blue Lotus Gallery
G/F 28 Pound Lane,
Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
