Harlem School's Gym Undergoes Beautiful, Artistic Makeover

HARLEM, NY — A gym and basketball court at a Harlem school recently got some beautiful TLC courtesy of a major footwear retailer and a talented, local artist.

As part of its initiative to celebrate communities and back to school, Foot Locker, Inc. recently partnered with Harlem artist Jay West for the redesign of a new basketball court and gymnasium at A. Philip Randolph School in Harlem.

His vibrant, colorful artwork can now be visible seen throughout the entire gym, with the redesign taking place over the course of a week in early September, according to a Foot Locker Inc. spokesperson.

"The creative process for this project was an interesting one, just for the fact that you take painting and graphic and you merge the two worlds," West explained. "The stoop is somewhere where people meet and convene and talk and chat and share ideas and share meals. So that was obviously a no brainer when I did the Almighty Harlem wall – just pull pieces of my memory of my childhood and the sounds signs and smells infuse that into a visual."

For West, his participation in project hit close to home. Growing up in Harlem and living only a few blocks away from the school, he was honored to put his talent to use for his community.

"It was really more so about how I felt when I see my community from afar, like third person view. When I step outside of myself, I look at the nuances of my community and the swag and energy of the neighborhood of Harlem. And I just infuse that energy into my sketches," West said.

To celebrate the unveiling of the new court, Foot Locker Inc. and West recently surprised students from the school with backpacks filled with school supplies to ensure that each student is prepared for the upcoming school year.

"Foot Locker is proud to support and make positive, lasting impact in local communities across the country," a company representative said in a comment to Patch.