Theaster Gates

Informed by his training as an urban planner and sculptor, Theaster Gates produces works which develop urban spaces through performance art and the critical engagement of the public. His attempts to bridge the gap between art and life have lead to a body of work which initiates and encourages social interaction, creating vibrant urban spaces which act as grounds of social and political change. For a commissioned project at the 2012 Armory Show in New York, for instance, Gates designed much of the fair’s published materials and created spaces for conversation and social engagement, wherein he moderated pedagogical discussion using chalkboards and desks from an abandoned Chicago public school.


Gates was the 2012 winner of the Vera List Center Prize and the recipient of a Harpo Foundation Grant. In addition to his work as an artist he is active in many urban planning and rejuvenation programs in Chicago, seeking to integrate art and the daily lives of citizens. His work was included in the 2010 Whitney Biennial and at Documenta 13 in Kassel, Germany. His work has been exhibited at several major institutions including the Seattle Art Museum, the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, and the Contemporary Art Museum Houston.






 

Articles

"What I'd Buy This March"
"What I'd Buy This March"
5 Abandoned Buildings Transformed Into Art-Related Spaces
5 Abandoned Buildings Transformed Into Art-Related Spaces
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Seven 21st-Century Masterpieces
11 Inspiring Artist’s Quotes About Protest
11 Inspiring Artist’s Quotes About Protest
5 Artworks You Probably Didn't Realize Were Religious
5 Artworks You Probably Didn't Realize Were Religious
Theaster Gates on Funneling Funds to Communities Through Art
Theaster Gates on Funneling Funds to Communities Through Art
5 Artists to Discover at EXPO Chicago 2016
5 Artists to Discover at EXPO Chicago 2016
10 Searing Political Artworks You Should Know
10 Searing Political Artworks You Should Know
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9 Artist/Architects You Should Know
Michele Robecchi's NADA Miami Beach 2015 Picks
Michele Robecchi's NADA Miami Beach 2015 Picks
6 Artworks to Invest in This October
6 Artworks to Invest in This October
Why the 2015 Istanbul Biennial Drowns in the Past
Why the 2015 Istanbul Biennial Drowns in the Past
Theaster Gates on Using Art to Remake Chicago
Theaster Gates on Using Art to Remake Chicago
10 of the Best Artworks at EXPO CHICAGO 2015
10 of the Best Artworks at EXPO CHICAGO 2015
Tony Karman on Jumpstarting the Midwest Art Scene
Tony Karman on Jumpstarting the Midwest Art Scene
How to Understand the 2015 Venice Biennale Lineup
How to Understand the 2015 Venice Biennale Lineup
How to Pronounce Artists' Names, Vol. 4
How to Pronounce Artists' Names, Vol. 4
10 Artists to Watch This April
10 Artists to Watch This April
Don Bacigalupi on America's Best Unknown Artists
Don Bacigalupi on America's Best Unknown Artists
The Secret Alter Egos of the Art World
The Secret Alter Egos of the Art World
The Most Compelling Artists to Follow on Instagram
The Most Compelling Artists to Follow on Instagram
Dzine/Carlos Rolon on Making Blue-Collar Art
Dzine/Carlos Rolon on Making Blue-Collar Art
How the Art World Caught Archive Fever
How the Art World Caught Archive Fever
Creative Time Rethinks the Artist Residency
Creative Time Rethinks the Artist Residency