Giles Pates: Muggsy

EVENT DESCRIPTION

WOAW Gallery is pleased to present Muggsy, a solo exhibition by New York artist Giles Pates. This vibrant and heartfelt collection of works celebrates the unifying power of local basketball courts around the world, inviting viewers to reconnect with the communal spirit that often defines these shared spaces. The exhibition will be on view from 9 January to 8 February 2025 , which also celebrates his first solo exhibition in Hong Kong.

Muggsy is a celebration of the communal power found in local basketball courts around the world. The title draws inspiration from Muggsy Bogues, one of the smallest players to ever grace the NBA, known not only for his heart, tenacity, and unshakable spirit – qualities that resonate deeply with the energy of a local court.

At the core of this exhibition is the idea that basketball courts serve as timeless spaces of connection, transcending language, background, and age. Regardless of one’s history or origin, a local basketball court is a place where strangers can become friends and individuals can find a lasting sense of community.

The inspiration behind “Muggsy” comes from a personal experience shared by the artist. During a conversation with his wife and brother-in-law, Giles was moved by the story of his wife’s family, who had recently immigrated from Karachi, Pakistan, and were searching for a sense of belonging in New York City. One afternoon, Giles’ brother-in-law found himself shooting hoops alone at his local mosque, when a group of local kids approached him and began playing. What began as a solitary moment quickly turned into a bond of friendship that remains strong to this day.

This powerful memory has inspired Giles to create a series of works that invite viewers into the spirit of their own local courts. Through these paintings, Giles aims to evoke nostalgia for a time when communal spaces held a deeper meaning, reminding us of the sense of unity and connection that we experienced as children in the parks of our hometowns.

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

Giles Jackson Pates (b. 1992, New York City) is a fine artist based in New York City. A lifelong painter, Pates’ work is a deep exploration of human connection, particularly through communal spaces. Growing up as a millennial, he experienced the shift from a world without technology to one fully immersed in it—a transformation that left him longing for the sense of community that once existed in simpler, unmediated spaces. As an artist, a profession inherently solitary, Pates has come to realize the importance of these spaces in nurturing true human connections.

At the heart of Pates’s work is an ongoing exploration of environments where people gather to share experiences—neighborhood basketball courts, kitchens, parks—places where the richness of human connection thrives. His paintings, however, do not show the people within these spaces; rather, they depict the empty, still moments of communal places, evoking a sense of tranquility while subtly commenting on the lack of connection that defines modern life. By presenting these spaces devoid of people, Pates underscores the absence of the community we once took for granted, sparking reflection on what we’ve lost and what remains.