American Backcourts

On view August 26, 2024 – April 13, 2025

Western Spirit is pleased to announce an intriguing contemporary photography exhibit by artist Rob Hammer. Hammer is a commercial and fine art photographer based in Denver, Colorado. His portfolio not only captures cowboy culture, lifestyle photography, many of the world’s greatest athletes and more, but also thematic projects that tell intimate photographic stories taken off the beaten path. This exhibition is Hammer’s first solo show and American Backcourts first museum debut.

Artist statement:

Few would add basketball to the list of things that make the West so iconic. The sport itself is purely American, though. Sure, it migrated overseas, but it was born here (in Springfield, MA in 1891), so we can rightfully claim it as ours. Since that day it has become loved by everyone, including Westerners, who have in many ways made it their own. They’ve applied their famous ingenuity and “Do It Yourself” attitude to the game. That’s why you’ll see handmade hoops made from whatever’s laying around, hung on a pole just about anywhere. No need for the fancy store bought hoop placed methodically above the freshly paved driveway. Out here folks just want to play, regardless of the circumstance. On dirt, grass, clay, gravel. Whatever. And isn’t that just the spirit of the West after all?

In the 13 years since this project began, I’ve traveled more than 300,000 miles in search of hoops like the ones you see here. In that time I’ve heard them called monuments, portraits, and relics. To me, though, they are storytellers, and that’s how this series began. After seeing a photograph of Larry Bird’s childhood hoop in French Lick, Indiana. Which was nothing more than a homemade wood backboard and rim screwed to an old barn that looked like a strong wind would push it over. How is it possible that one of the greatest players ever grew from such humble beginnings? That image told a great story that carried over and made me wonder the same about every other basketball hoop I saw during my travels.

-Rob Hammer