David Hammons' Bliz-aard Ball Sale in 1983 is an iconic performance piece that epitomizes the artist's engagement with themes of commerce, racial identity, and the absurdity of art valuation. On a winter's day, Hammons set up on the streets of Lower Manhattan, selling snowballs of varying sizes. This act turned a commonplace winter object into a commodity, challenging the notions of what constitutes a valuable art object and critiquing the art market's capitalistic nature. The performance was captured in a series of photographs by Dawoud Bey, which have since become a key part of the artwork's legacy, documenting this ephemeral event for posterity​ (APHELIS)​​ (Art Explora Academy)​.

The Bliz-aard Ball Sale was not just a whimsical act but was laden with deeper political, social, and economic commentary. By selling snowballs—temporary and freely available objects—Hammons was making a statement on the art world's sometimes-arbitrary value system. The performance also played with cultural stereotypes and the visibility of Black artists in the predominantly white art world of the time. Hammons positioned himself as both an artist and a street vendor, blurring the lines between high art and street commerce, while the meticulous arrangement of the snowballs and the setting on a colorful rug added a layer of aesthetic deliberation to the act​ (APHELIS)​​ (Art Explora Academy)​.

David Hammons' work, including this performance, challenges viewers to reconsider preconceived notions about art, value, and racial identity. His choice of materials and actions often reflect a deep critique of American society and the elite art world, inviting a confrontation with the fractures between races. Hammons' rise to prominence, characterized by his "tactical evasion" and defiance of the art market's exclusivity, marks him as a figure who has navigated the art world on his own terms, using his art to explore themes of visibility, commodification, and racial identity​ (Something Curated)​.