All Rights Reserved Kindred Studio    
Tschabalala Self  

Goffe Street Park
New Haven, CT
2022 “Eyeballing”


In Summer 2023 we worked with artist Tschabalala Self to design and inaugurate a permanent public basketball court in New Haven, CT — blending sport, public art, and cultural memory. Known for her bold, mixed-media depictions of the Black body, Self brought her distinctive visual language to the court’s surface, creating an artwork that reclaimed space for joy, identity, and representation. 

The court, painted by the Project Backboard install team, was dedicated to New Haven basketball legend “Super John” Williamson, with his family joining to share stories and honor his legacy. To celebrate the unveiling, Kindred Studio brought the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun together with the Boys & Girls Club of Greater New Haven to host a youth basketball program, and facilitated further community engagement through an exhibition titled Common Practice: Public Access, curated by John Dennis, and co-presented with neighboring arts organization, NXTHVN. 

Partners: Tschabalala Self, NXTHVN, the WNBA, Connecticut Sun, Boys & Girls Club of Greater New Haven, Chance Athletics, 5 Star Basketball, Project Backboard, Kindred Studio