Inspired by Legacy
Every year, during summer’s last hurrah, the US Open returns to New York City for two weeks, and with it, the top stars of tennis and fans from around the world. Beyond the courts of Flushing Meadows, the world-renowned tournament (also the last Grand Slam of the year) amplifies the city’s natural energy, bringing along a wellspring of creativity and momentum.
This year’s edition of the US Open is particularly significant as it also marks the 75th anniversary of player Althea Gibson’s historic debut at the West Side Tennis Club in 1950. There, Gibson became the first Black player to compete in the U.S. National Championships, the tournament that would later become the US Open in 1968. Thanks to her participation and multiple titles, she paved the way for other athletes to follow and break racial barriers in the sport of tennis.
To honor Gibson’s legacy, the tournament commissioned Melissa Koby, a Jamaican-born and Tampa-based illustrator, as the first Black artist to create the US Open theme art. We sat down with Koby during her residency at The Fifth Avenue Hotel, in partnership with Racquet, to learn more about her art, inspirations, and the new piece she is creating within our walls.
ART AS HEALING
For Koby, visual art has always been a passion and a form of self-healing. However, it was during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time of solitude and global unrest, when illustration (both digital and watercolor) became her focus, as she searched for ways to make sense of a world in flux.
“When I started creating during the pandemic, my work quickly transformed from a need to process isolation to a need to process social injustice,” she tells us. “Over time, I realized that I was creating from a place of heartbreak, and it wasn’t sustainable. I’m really proud of myself for being able to slowly recognize the importance of creating for peace and from a place of appreciation. I think my art reflects that now because I only create when I’m inspired by beauty.”
Today, just five years post-pandemic, Koby’s artwork has evolved into a career that now places her on the world’s stage, including brand collaborations with West Elm, Athleta, and now, the US Open.
HONORING ALTHEA GIBSON
For her US Open commission, Koby turned to layered paper, a medium that has become central to her style. By cutting and arranging forms in overlapping planes, she builds profiles with layers of stories that are visually striking and rich with symbols.
“I took my time to explore different themes with the creation of this piece, but the one constant was that I wanted to ensure that the silhouette was of Althea in a pose that exudes strength,” she said. “Her profile was so beautifully distinct that I wanted to take special care to ensure that each viewer would know exactly who was being honored. Within the piece, I wanted to include layers containing elements of her story as it relates to her journey at the US Open.”
One of those layers is Gibson’s iconic serve. “I am obsessed with the arc of the tennis serve. It is such a captivating and powerful stance,” Koby told us. “I love that tennis is like a dance between the players, and the serves are like a passionate dialogue that they’re having. I may not be a good tennis player, but I have a deep appreciation for the skill and grace the sport requires.”
The final result is an image that truly captures Gibson as a bold emblem, not only of tennis but also of breaking barriers, which is this year’s tournament theme.
A UNIQUE PIECE INSPIRED BY THE FIFTH
As part of her collaboration with Racquet, Koby stayed with us at The Fifth Avenue Hotel, where she began a new artwork inspired by the vibrant design language.
“I’m excited by color, and The Fifth is like a sensory overload for me in the best way possible,” she said. “The hotel interior reminds me of one of my favorite art museums, The Ringling. I’m already creating a story in my head about the journey of a beautiful woman, and I’m using all the textures and colors of the hotel as her scenery. I can’t wait to see how this unfolds.”
Just as her US Open commission layered Gibson’s history into form, this new work weaves the spirit of place into narrative. Koby’s piece will be a fitting tribute to the culmination of our two-week US Open celebration, including our Game. Set. Stay. package and back-to-back screenings of the Women’s and Men’s Finals in The Study and Conservatory together with Racquet.
KOBY’S NEW YORK FAVORITES
When she isn’t creating, New York itself provides its own spark for Koby. “I love going to galleries to reinvigorate my creativity,” she shares. “I have to go to The Whitney Museum of American Art and The Met whenever I’m in New York. I’ve never completed The Met in one single visit, so each time I go back it feels like the first time. Fridman on the Lower East Side is a must-visit for me as well.”
For Koby, these visits keep her imagination alive, an important counterpoint for anyone in a state of constant creation.
LAYERS OF MEANING
Whether talking about her prestigious commission for the US Open or her site-inspired piece created at The Fifth, both one-of-a-kind projects reflect Koby’s belief that art is most powerful when it is created from a place of strength, beauty, and meaning. Through themes of resilience, community, and belonging, her work reminds us that creating is both a form of self-expression and a means of connection, with ourselves and with the world around us.
