Theaster Gates’ mother thought he was going to be a preacher. Instead he is a spirited force in the art community. He is an artist with his hands deep in diverse communities — an artist who builds things both literally and conceptually by joining together unlikely mediums like people, buildings, culture and reclaimed materials. Gates has risen through the ranks of the high art world and is featured in major museums, international arts fairs and magazines, and he does this while retaining a deep commitment to his community-based projects and his roots. One is the well-known Dorchester Projects, where he bought and renovated a cluster of buildings on the south side of Chicago, birthing a cultural and energized community in a less-than-likely place. He has stayed on a focused path to use his skills and resources to bring deeper meaning to people, places and things. Spector spoke with Gates at the Fabric Workshop and Museum in Philadelphia during his current installation, Soul Manufacturing Corporation — To Make the Thing that Makes the Things.
theastergates.com Shelley Spector is an artist, curator and teacher. Her multidisciplinary works, which explore common themes like money, relationships, tools of measurement and the environment, are part of many private and public collections. She founded SPECTOR Gallery/Projects in 1999, working to champion emerging talent and new concepts. An offshoot of the program is Artjaw.com, an online anthology of first person stories from the Philadelphia art community.
shelleyspector.com — > A conversation with Theaster Gates and Shelley Spector
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