East Point wants to build outdoor gym adorned with works of Basquiat

On the surface, outdoor exercise and Neo-expressionistic artwork born on the streets of 1970s New York might seem unlikely bedfellows. But East Point is hoping to change that perception.

The south ITP city is one of just 10 around the country selected by the National Fitness Campaign to curate an outdoor gym adorned with the works of renowned artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, as Mayor Deana Holiday Ingraham announced today.

Described as the first of its kind in the South, the custom Jean-Michel Basquiat outdoor Fitness Court® would be designed to activate a public space near downtown East Point and meld “the inspiration of world-class art and life-changing benefits of access to healthy infrastructure” as part of the 2022 National Fitness Campaign. 

East Point spokesperson Shannon Wiggins tells Urbanize Atlanta the Basquiat-bedecked project would be installed—pending funding—on the soccer box at the John D. Milner Athletic Complex, located at 3009 Randall Street, just east of the city’s MARTA station and main drag.

Launched in 2021, the Basquiat Fitness Court initiative is part of NFC’s Arts and Culture Series. Its goal is to spotlight the works of Basquiat, described by NFC as “one of the most influential modern artists in American history,” in combination with a free, functional outdoor gym called the Fitness Court. (See a demonstration clip here.)

The outdoor gyms are seven-station training centers NFC has built in almost 500 cities across the U.S. The organization’s goal is to build a Fitness Court within a 10-minute bike ride of every American over the next decade.

Ingraham, East Point’s mayor, described the partnership as “an amazing opportunity to reimagine our public spaces through art and promote healthy living simultaneously” in a press release today.  

The Basquiat partnership is moving forward with the help of Artestar, a global licensing agency and creative consultancy that represents high-profile artists. After rocketing to international acclaim, Basquiat died in 1988 from a heroin overdose in New York City, at age 27.

Wiggins says there’s no construction timeline for the Fitness Court at this point, as the fundraising phase is ongoing. The project is expected to cost $225,000, and so far, the city has contributed $50,000.

East Point leaders plan to approach healthcare organizations, corporations, and other local partners to join the fundraising campaign.  

• East Point news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)