Artist
Theaster Gates
USA
Clay and community. Urban transformation through craft.
He trained as a potter—then used that training to reimagine entire neighborhoods.
Theaster Gates is an artist, social practice pioneer, and urban planner. But he started as a potter, training with Michael Simon. He still makes pots, but his practice has expanded: buying abandoned buildings on Chicago's South Side, transforming them into cultural spaces. Clay runs through his work: pieces from salvaged bricks, community firing events. For Gates, making pots and remaking communities are related acts.
What might your craft practice hold beyond the objects themselves?