When you think of Art Basel, you probably think of galleries and white walls. But one Miami artist is taking her work out of the museum and into a neighborhood park — by turning a basketball court into a colorful piece of public art.
For Miami artist Najja Moon, the court isn’t just a canvas. It’s personal.
Basketball, she says, “is more than a game, it’s a passion.”
Drone footage captures the full scale of the mural’s bold, abstract forms. Moon designed the work with a purpose beyond aesthetics.
“I think it’s really important that art has a functional purpose,” she said.
The project is a collaboration with the nonprofit Project Backboard, known for revitalizing courts across the country by transforming them into playable art installations. Together, they’re hosting a community event to help residents engage with the court.
The celebration encourages people not just to admire the art, but to move through it — to dribble, pass, shoot, and play right on top of it.
Moon, both an artist and an athlete, hopes the mural reignites something simple yet profound: the pure joy of play.
Moon and Project Backboard will host a free community event at the mural on Saturday, Dec. 6 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Legion Park.
Organizers hope the gathering becomes a blueprint for future collaborations, showing how public spaces, art, and community can thrive together in Miami.