If you haven’t heard of the insanely talented artist out of Chicago, Theaster Gates, then you must be living under a rock. Gates is a jack of all trades, channeling his creative practice through mediums like ceramics, sculpting, assemblage and installations, performance art, and urban design and development. Since his earlier works where he primarily focused on clay and sculpture, he has since expanded that creative initiative to produce developmental projects in his own hometown.
After the onset of the 2007-08 financial crisis, Theaster begun renovation projects to revitalize various neighborhoods on the South Side of Chicago and tackle blight, which has since birthed the establishment of community spaces that celebrate art and culture through a historical Black lens.
Whether it be the creations of the Black Cinema House, The Archive House, or renovating a singular abandoned residential building, Theaster has undoubtedly proven that Black creatives can revitalize their own neighborhood through their own means. If you recognize blight and an economic inequality crisis present within your own city that you want to personally help solve, I highly recommend checking out some of Theaster’s work for inspiration.
