There is no particular reason I am writing an entry on David Hammons. If I had to find a reason, maybe it is because I have been really feeling the funk art genre lately, and even though that genre usually is grouped towards the California funk artists during the 70’s and 80’s I think there are many artist that can embody this, such as David Hammons. Hammons, like the music of funk, uses a kind of rythmic soul to compose otherwise unlikely objects together to activate their historical groove. His objects are given new life and because of his race and materials the works are often of a racial melody. If one ever gets a chance to see a Hammon’s piece in a museum or gallery they may notice that his work is very visceral and intelligent at the same time (The objects may be blunt or crude but because of his use of them he isn’t). One of my favorite examples are these pieces that show a different way of presenting and drawing. Such as using a basketball to bounce in graphite then using the tool as part of its presentation(like the first image); (there is also one of these basketball drawings that the S.F. Moma owns that does not hang on the wall or have a basketball with it but the frame just sits on a pile of bricks leaning against the wall). My point is David Hammons is one of the best artist still alive today.

Hammons in his own words. 1986