Chicago Bulls Jordan 45 Away Jersey | 44

Michael Jordan returned to the Chicago Bulls in March 1995 with a two-word fax that read "I'm back," and took the court against the Indiana Pacers wearing number 45 rather than his retired number 23, honoring his late father's request while stepping out of the shadow of the jersey the franchise had already hung in the rafters. He wore 45 for 22 regular-season games and 10 playoff appearances before switching back to 23 mid-series against the Orlando Magic in the second round. The Jordan #45 window sits at a specific pivot point in the mythology, the exact stretch between retirement and the second three-peat, the moment before Jordan reasserted his original iconography. Coming from the collection of artist Tyrrell Winston, the piece belongs firmly in the register of artifacts his practice has consistently elevated: objects that document a very specific cultural inflection point rather than the more familiar highlights on either side of it.

Read our interview with Tyrrell Winston here.