AWARENESS: Artist Spotlight #15 - Theaster Gates (b.1973)

Notes:

-Born in Chicago, August, 28 1973

-Social practice installation artist and a professor in the Department of Visual Arts at the University of Chicago

-Creativity in the music of Black churches on his journey to becoming an urban planner, potter, and artist

-He uses clay, tar, and old building material

-He uses these to transform struggling urban neighborhoods

-He establishes a bond with fine art and social progress

-Gates uses these old abandoned buildings of Chicago to renovate and make rec centers for the people of poorer neighborhoods.

-Gates has a non-profit called Rebuild Foundation which manages his Chicago projects as well as extending themselves across the mid-west.

-Many of the artist’s works evoke his African-American identity and the broader struggle for civil rights, from sculptures incorporating fire hoses, to events organized around soul food, and choral performances by the experimental musical ensemble Black Monks of Mississippi, led by Gates himself.

Summarized from: https://art21.org/artist/theaster-gates/

Why I Chose Him:

I originally started to look at Theaster Gates because Coach Hall recommended him to me. I didn’t particularly enjoy his artwork at a gander and decided that he wasn’t worth it and immediately stopped looking. Then when I told Coach my opinion he told me to take a closer look. In doing so I was able to see just how amazing Theaster Gates was. I still didn’t find his work amazingly appealing to my eye but I had a newfound appreciation for him and admire his work with respect for what he’s done for his community. That is what drew my eye to his sculpture pieces as love everything to have some deeper meaning and a layer to it. His sculptures vary between minimalist, his earlier years, and these complex pieces of work. They sometimes have look unfinished and sort of not well put together but that is because there is a message he is trying to get across with the construction which I want to do as well. There is no question of his skill however when you look at all the the buildings he was able to renovate with old material that people had little to no use for.

His Works:

Additional Resources:

Readings:

https://art21.org/artist/theaster-gates/

https://www.theastergates.com/

https://www.artsy.net/artist/theaster-gates

Questions:

1. After scrolling through his artsy and seeing a multitude of his works, what are some contrasts and similarities between his in the round sculptures and his textured two dimensional art work? (Please try to cite specific work in your comparison)

2. Gates has a very unique style in everything he does in spite of the fact that he truly does a multitude of different things. What do you think his style is and how does it inspire you?

3. A lot of artists make art that fits a certain niche in aiding there community. What is culturally significant about Gates arts given his home state?