ArtBabble: Theaster Gates

Theaster Gates and the Black Monks of Mississippi

Indianapolis Museum of Art — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 19:40:01 +0000

Series:

Hard Truths: A Forum on Art and the Politics of Difference

Institution:

Join Chicago-based installation artist Theaster Gates and his ensemble, The Black Monks of Mississippi, for a performative response to the visual art of Thornton Dial. Inspired by the rich symbolic world of the black South, Dial’s art explores the hard truths of history and political and social issues. In this performance, Gates and The Black Monks improvise to create “black sound,” born of the power of gospel.

Theaster Gates, The Redemptive and the Redeemed

Indianapolis Museum of Art — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 14:35:57 +0000

Series:

Hard Truths: A Forum on Art and the Politics of Difference

Institution:

Indianapolis Museum of Art

Using the art and life of Thornton Dial as a point of departure, this public forum, held on April 8, 2011, explored the status of African American artists within the mainstream contemporary art world, an examination that reflects broader social, economic, and political “hard truths” within society at large. It explored the relevance of black creative expression to issues of social justice across racial boundaries.

Theaster Gates is an Installation and performance artist from the University of Chicago.

Other forum speakers included:
Joanne Cubbs- Introduction
Greg Tate
Fred Moten

The Dave Project- Chapter 1

Chipstone — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 13:26:47 +0000

Series:

The Dave Project

Institution:

Chipstone

The Dave Project was born out of To Speculate Darkly: Theaster Gates and Dave the Potter. In To Speculate Darkly, an installation at the Milwaukee Art Museum, contemporary-Chicago artist Theaster Gates celebrated the legacy of Dave the Potter, an African-American slave who made pots on a plantation in ante-bellum South Carolina. Dave’s pot, a 40-gallon storage vessel placed in the center of the installation, proved unexpectedly captivating.

To Speculate Darkly Poetry Slam

Chipstone — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 13:51:53 +0000

Series:

To Speculate Darkly

Institution:

Chipstone

This video, filmed by Ray Chi, features the To Speculate Darkly Poetry Slam's three finalists reciting their winning original poems. The widely attended program was sponsored by the All Writers' Workshop, and took place in Theaster Gates' To Speculate Darkly installation at the Milwaukee Art Museum on July 18, 2010. The installation centered around a 40-gallon Dave Drake pot inscribed with one of his well-known couplets.

Theaster Gates - Opening night lecture, To Speculate Darkly

Chipstone — Thu, 27 May 2010 14:30:11 +0000

Series:

To Speculate Darkly

Institution:

Chipstone

In the opening night lecture for his installation To Speculate Darkly, Theaster Gates discusses the inadequacies of the history of ceramics, his relationship with the potter Dave Drake, as well as his relationship with Milwaukee and Kohler. This lecture provides valuable insights into Theaster Gates' installation and exhibition at the Milwaukee Art Museum.

Theaster Gates - Thumping Wisconsin

Chipstone — Tue, 18 May 2010 14:12:30 +0000

Series:

Film

To Speculate Darkly

Film

To Speculate Darkly

Institution:

Chipstone

Thumping Wisconsin was the opening performance for the Theaster Gates installation To Speculate Darkly at the Milwaukee Art Museum. The installation is centered around, and was inspired by, Dave Drake, an antebellum South Carolina potter who signed his name and wrote couplets on his pots. As part of the exhibition Theaster created songs based on Dave's couplets, and had a Chicago/Milwaukee choir perform the pieces. This video, shot by Ray Chi, shows excerpts from the emotionally powerful 40 minute performance at the Milwaukee Art Museum.