Team Sports | MoMA R&D Salon 44 | MoMA LIVE

A team is distinct from other social bonds as the unifying element is the shared pursuit of a common goal, whether it be winning a World Cup, achieving a scientific breakthrough, or winning an election. Often, however, the relationship between teammates, their leaders, and their supporters extends far beyond the mere pursuit of a goal. A team quickly becomes a microcosm of broader societal phenomena, as issues such as power, gender, race, sexuality, and class come into play. Individual vs. collective, collaboration vs. competition, offense vs. defense, success vs. failure, inclusion vs. exclusion––when we become part of a team, we learn to negotiate a number of contrasting conditions. Teams rely on complex algorithms and alchemies and when properly designed, expertly trained, and wholeheartedly inspired, they are greater than the sum of their parts. This Salon explores the ways in which they can simultaneously function as mirrors of society and means to change it for the better. These are some of the questions we will ask: How does participation in required team sports affect a child’s development in both positive and negative ways? How do team sports reinforce societal and gendered norms? In what ways can they instead be used to challenge those norms? What does it mean to be a good team player, within and without sports? How do our experiences as a part of teams impact our subsequent social relations? Should we adopt a more team-centric outlook in our daily lives, prioritizing collective over individual goals? How does the participation in or the watching of sports contribute to the formation of our individual identities? The evening will commence with a brief introduction by Paola Antonelli, followed by equally brief presentations by – here in alphabetical order: Tracie Canada: is an Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology and is affiliated with the Sports & Race Project at Duke University. As a cultural anthropologist and ethnographer, she researches and teaches about race, sport, kinship, and the performing body with a focus on the lived experiences of Black football players. Simon Critchley: is the Hans Jonas Professor of Philosophy at the New School for Social Research working in areas such as continental philosophy, philosophy and literature, psychoanalysis, ethics, and political theory, among others. One of his most recent books include What We Think About When We Think About Football. Gabriel Fontana: is an independent designer and creative director investigating how our bodies propagate, internalize, and reproduce social norms with particular attention to how they can be unlearned through new forms of pedagogy, activities, and games that deconstruct group dynamics. Bobbito Garcia: is a radio host, filmmaker, and basketball enthusiast who has worked across multiple urban movements. A former professional basketball player in Puerto Rico, he currently produces his basketball tournament Full Court 21 in four continents. The presentations will be accompanied by the screening of a series of short videos cut specifically for Salon 43 by: MoMA R&D is made possible by Allianz. Subscribe for our latest videos and invitations to live events: Explore our collection online: Plan your visit in-person: Commit to art and ideas. Support MoMA by becoming a member today: The comments and opinions expressed in this video are those of the speakers alone, and do not represent the views of The Museum of Modern Art, its personnel, or any artist. #design #art #museumofmodernart #moma #museum #modernart