As Artist-in-Residence, David Hammons (b.1943, Springfield, IL) constructed a temporary sculpture titled Higher Goals. The work was built on site in Brooklyn’s Cadman Plaza Park over a period of eight weeks in April of 1986.
Higher Goals (1986) by Hammons, DavidPublic Art Fund
Higher Goals consisted of five bottle cap-studded telephone poles ranging in height from 20’ to 30’.
Higher Goals (1986) by Hammons, DavidPublic Art Fund
Mounted at the top of each pole was a basketball backboard (also covered with bottle caps) complete with hoop and net.
Higher Goals (1986) by Hammons, DavidPublic Art Fund
In a labor-intensive process, Hammons nailed more than 10,000 bottle caps onto the surface of each pole to create distinctive diamond, spiral and mesh patterns.
Higher Goals (1986) by Hammons, DavidPublic Art Fund
Hammons explained the concept behind Higher Goals with an analogy to professional basketball teams.
Higher Goals (1986) by Hammons, DavidPublic Art Fund
“It takes five to play on a team, but there are thousands who want to play—not everyone will make it, but even if they don’t at least they tried.”
Higher Goals (1986) by Hammons, DavidPublic Art Fund
This statement is indicative of Hammons’ personal belief that aspirations should not be confined to set limits and that individuals should set goals at higher levels.
Higher Goals (1986) by Hammons, DavidPublic Art Fund
Cadman Plaza Artist-in-Residence Program was a project of Public Art Fund and The Rotunda Gallery, and was produced in cooperation with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation with support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.
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