Built in a space between buildings in the ninth arrondissement of Paris, the basketball court on rue Duperré is probably one of the most famous (and most photographed) in the world for its bright and eccentric colours. Inaugurated in 2009 on the initiative of the eponymous Pigalle fashion brand, the project has already undergone five transformations, thanks in particular to the support of Nike, which has helped turn it into a true public art space.
After the first version, which also involved the French-Asian artist Yué 'Nyno', who created silhouettes of Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Scottie Pippen and other basketball greats, Stéphane Ashpool, Pigalle's designer and curator of the project, decided to renovate the court for the first time in 2012 on the occasion of the launch of the new collection, with the participation of Ill Studio, which then took part in the design of the subsequent restyling.
Over the years, we have seen the primary colours of 2014, the bright pinks, oranges and blues of 2017, and then the 2020 version for the new Nike Pigalle Converse collection, which inspired the use of purple, blue and mint, with large numbers and text to differentiate the areas painted on the floor.
The latest version, the 2024 version, replicates the big numbers, but with completely different colours and layouts. "Here, sport transcends competition, becoming a shared act of creation. The linear, optical pattern composition of the court symbolizes life’s diversity of cultures, ideas, and individuals blending into a universal language of inclusion and unity. This is the infinite game: no boundaries, no end, just endless play" writes Stéphane Ashpool, sharing colourful new pictures of the court on his instagram profile.