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Brilliant�Ideas�Episode�#14:�Theaster�GatesReal�estate�artist,�adding�art�to�life
Art�is�often�conceived�as�unrelated�to�our�lives,�as�merely�a�part�of�decorating
a�room.�Theaster�Gates,�an�installation�artist�and�an�urban�planner,�has
changed�this�type�of�conception�about�art.�The�Chicago-based�artist�not�only
contributes�to�improving�the�level�of�culture�and�arts�of�the�local�society�by
Gates�has�been�leading�the�neighbors�in�need�of�a�helping�hand�to�a�better
life�through�art,�and�has�made�efforts�to�narrow�the�gap�between�art�and�our
everyday�lives�through�projects�transforming�days�of�life�to�be�more�vigorous
and�beautiful.�The�14th�episode�of�Brilliant�Ideas�by�Bloomberg�and�Hyundai
The�practicing�artist
breathing�new�life�into�abandoned�buildings,�but�also�provides�generous
support�for�African-American�artists�like�himself�through�his�projects.
Motor�will�follow�the�journey�of�Gates,�the�practicing�artist,�enriching�life
through�his�art.
Dorchester�Project(2006-)�is�the�most�widely�known�project�of�the�artist,�in
which�a�neglected�building�in�ruins�is�transformed�into�a�new�space�for
culture�and�arts.�When�many�American�cities�were�facing�bankruptcy�due�to
the�subprime�mortgage�crisis�in�2008,�he�used�the�crisis�as�a�stepping-stone
to�the�launch�of�a�new�project.�Gates�purchased�a�small�house�in�western
Chicago�with�all�he�had�and�presented�a�performing�art�in�which�he�swept�the
house�while�speaking�a�line,�“This�is�a�performing�art”,�which�drew�the
neighbors’�attention.�The�nearby�residents�then�started�to�gather,�and�the
abandoned�space�turned�into�a�cultural�space�for�stage�performances,
exhibitions,�or�simple�dinner�gatherings�with�the�neighbors.�Through�this
project,�Gates�realized�that�a�building�is�not�used�for�only�one�purpose�but
can�be�used�for�various�activities.�Starting�from�this,�he�created�Black�Cinema
House�by�buying�a�warehouse�in�Chicago�that�used�to�be�a�place�for�drug
transactions,�and�screened�movies�in�the�building,�which�were�deeply�related
to�the�local�residents,�while�also�providing�residency�space�for�artists.�In
addition,�the�artist�constructed�the�Listening�room�filled�with�8,000�LP
records�to�provide�a�space�in�which�one�can�meditate�and�feel�artistic�energy,
leading�the�communication�between�artists�and�local�residents.
Art�changing�daily�life
“Stony�Island�Arts�Bank”,�which�was�completed�this�autumn,�once�again
represents�Gates’�principle�of�changing�a�deserted�building�into�an�artistic
place.�A�neglected�building�of�a�bank�filled�with�water�six�feet�high�could�not
attract�anyone’s�attention,�which�resulted�in�difficulties�in�raising�a�fund�for
the�project.�The�artist,�however,�having�completed�the�previous�projects
successfully,�could�purchase�the�bank�building�at�one�dollar�with�the�help�of
the�Chicago�mayor�Rahm�Emanuel.�Gates�also�raised�5,000�dollars�at�the�Art
Basel�2013�by�creating�a�hundred�cubes�on�which�a�text,�“In�Art�We�Trust”,�is
engraved.�The�cubes�were�created�by�recycling�pieces�of�marble�from�the
bank�and�he�started�the�bank�reconstruction�project�based�on�this�money.
The�bank�in�ruin�was�reborn�into�an�art�complex�including�an�exhibition�hall,
an�event�room,�a�library�and�a�record�room.�The�project�was�a�big�success,
which�invigorated�the�local�society.�
As�seen�from�the�remark�by�the�artist�given�when�“Stony�Island�Arts�Bank”
opened,�that�the�place�is�for�next-generation�African-American�artists’�artistic
experiments�and�for�raising�the�neighborhood’s�interest�for�culture,�his
projects�are�not�about�simply�renovating�an�old�building.�He�has�pursued�a
synergy�effect�of�vitalizing�the�local�region�through�his�projects�he�calls�“real
estate�art”,�and�believes�that�more�innovative�ideas�can�be�emerged�from
such�vitalized�environment.
Refocusing�on�realities�of�African-Americans
As�in�many�other�works�by�African-American�artists,�“ethnicity”�has�also
naturally�become�a�subject�matter�of�Gates’�projects.�Also,�the�city�of
Chicago,�in�which�he�was�born�and�has�been�creating�his�artworks,�was�one
of�the�major�destinations�of�the�Great�Migration,�harboring�a�long�history�of
African-American�laborers.�For�this�reason,�based�on�the�history�and�culture
of�African-Americans,�Gates�studies�ongoing�struggles�for�racial�equality�in
the�U.S.�and�further,�the�fundamental�meaning�of�liberty�through�his�visual
works.�Centered�in�his�works�is�the�African-American�history�such�as�slavery,
labor,�and�civil�rights�activities.�
In�Event�of�a�Race�Riot(2011-)�was�created�by�stacking�a�bunch�of�long�fire
hoses,�which�were�used�for�repressing�peaceful�demonstrations�for�civil
rights�by�African-American�students.�The�artwork�reminds�the�audience�the
past�demonstrations,�and�gives�an�opportunity�for�the�audience�to�think
about�the�present�racial�protests�rising�throughout�America.�Made�of
recycled�woods,�Shoe-Shine(2009)�is�reminiscent�of�a�throne,�showing�a�gap
between�the�nuance�of�the�material�and�that�of�the�completed�work.�In�this
work,�Gates�focused�on�the�concept�of�labor�by�highlighting�a�role�of
attending,�which�still�remains�as�a�frame�that�confines�African-Americans
even�after�the�abolition�of�slavery.
Meanwhile,�Gates�has�led�Black�Monks�of�Mississippi�since�2009,�a�musical
performance�based�on�the�African-American�culture.�Described�as�“an
experiment�in�a�form�of�a�musical�ensemble�activity”,�the�performance
further�spreads�the�African-American�culture�and�presents�the�African-
American�traditions�mixed�with�other�cultures,�featuring�artists�from�various
genres.�Black�Monks�of�Mississippi�has�one�rule:�to�represent�the
characteristics�of�African-American�gospel�music.�The�music�of�the
performance�is�strictly�in�the�form�of�the�blues�music,�of�which�Gates�feels
proud,�considering�the�blues�music�as�the�most�important�root�of�the
American�music.�
Through�his�works,�Gates�casts�a�critical�eye�over�the�history�and�realities�of
African-American�people,�and�refocuses�on�the�fact�that�their�traditions
affect�the�American�society.�Such�view�is�also�represented�in�Gates'�support
for�African-American�artists�like�him�who�maintaining�their�ethnic�identities
and�continue�artistic�activities.�Gates�is�an�active�artist,�who�does�not�hesitate
to�reveal�his�identity�as�an�African-American�in�various�ways,�and�to�spread
his�presence�beyond�the�border�of�ethnicity.�■�with�ARTINPOST
Rebuild�Foundation’s�Stony�Island�Arts�BankPhoto�by�Tom�Harris�ⓒ�Hedrich�Blessing�Courtesy�of�Rebuild�Foundation
Born�in�1973,�in�Chicago,�United�States,�Theaster�Gates�is�an�installation�artist
who�is�also�currently�a�professor�of�the�Department�of�Visual�Arts�at�the
University�of�Chicago.�Having�studied�sculpture�and�urban�planning,�Gates
finds�the�way�to�contribute�to�revitalizing�poor�neighborhoods�by�combining
urban�planning�and�art�practices.�His�works�are�made�of�historical�objects
and�found�materials�from�the�neighborhoods�and�based�on�a�social
responsibility�as�well�as�a�deep�belief.�
Through�<In�Event�of�a�Race�Riot>(2011~),�the�work�that�is�consisted�of�piles
of�fire�hoses,�Gates�reminds�the�audiences�about�the�struggles�for�civil�rights.
Also,�Gates�is�currently�working�on�a�project�titled,�‘The�Dorchester
Project’(2006~).�This�is�his�most�ambitious�ongoing�series�about�real�estate
development,�revealing�a�part�of�a�“circular�ecological�system”,�which�he
calls�“real-estate�art”.�Aiming�to�bridge�the�gap�between�art�and�our�lives�and
to�expand�the�range�of�art,�artist�Theaster�Gates�often�collaborates�with
architects,�researchers�and�performers.�That�is�why�his�works�are�described
as�“critique�through�collaboration.”
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