Theaster Gates: Unto Thee

A comprehensive overview of the work and creative practice of American artist Theaster Gates. A self-designated ¡°keeper of objects,¡± Theaster Gates investigates the value of things and their potential to hold layered meanings in his work. He activates these objects in a manner that nurtures space for disinvested histories¡ªoften Black histories. Part of his practice is also to create physical spaces for others, including through residencies he has established in Chicago¡¯s South Side, such as through the Rebuild Foundation, Stony Island Arts Bank, and other projects. Taken together, Gates¡¯s work is driven by questions around institutional and systemic structures, the erasure of Black histories, and ongoing social disinvestment in Black lives in Chicago and the United States. Theaster Gates: Unto Thee is published in conjunction with the Smart Museum of Art¡¯s exhibition on the artist. Edited by Galina Mardilovich and Vanja Malloy, the accompanying catalog expands on Gates¡¯s artistic practice and features five essays by contributing scholars. Unto Thee marks the first major museum presentation of the Chicago artist in his hometown. Format: Hardcover Dimensions: 1.1 x 0.8 x 0.1 in. Pages: 176 Illustrations: 113 color plates