gue turns a basketball court in italy into a labyrinth of lines and colors

in the italian city of alessandria, sicilian artist gue has painted an eye-popping ‘playground’ that plays with perceptions of space and shape. as part of the urban regeneration and redevelopment of the city’s carlo carrà park, the muralist has turned a basketball court into a geometric labyrinth of lines and color. ‘the idea was born from the possibility of being able to cross the field’s space,’ gue describes, ‘and to stay inside the composition and change the perception of shapes through the game’s movement.’

all photos by ugo galassi

gue has painted the court in a palette of colors that reflects the character of a court. ‘the choice of colors was motivated by a direct reference to the world of sport,’ he says. ‘I chose the color samples used in basketball courts, combining them and adding personal variants.’ the lines delineating point scoring sections are marked out in white, while bold yellow, bright blue, and cool grey tones come together to create a graphic composition that fills the large part of the court. ‘it was important to consider the schemes of the designated areas, necessary for the game, but at the same time it was necessary to feel free to interact with shapes and colors.’ curved lines and shapes create a striking visual rhythm that highlights the movement within the space, amplifying the action and leaving a visual trace of the hard-fought matches played on the ‘playground’.