Theaster Gates

A conceptual artist whose multi-disciplinary practice explores the intersection of art, culture and community, Gates (above) is founder of the Rebuild Foundation and serves as director of Arts and Public Life at the University of Chicago. Some of his most engaging projects involve the redevelopment and reuse of buildings in his neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. Transformations include the Dorchester Projects, a pair of vacant two-story houses renovated for reuse as a library featuring an inventory of 8,000 LPs from Dr. Wax Records, a record store that closed in nearby Hyde Park; 14,000 volumes from the now-shuttered Prairie Avenue Art and Architecture Bookstore; a collection of glass lantern slides (60,000 images) from the University of Chicago’s Art History Department; and temporarily, an archive of Ebony and Jet magazines; as well as a and soul food kitchen. His latest acquisition is historic bank building that will house an African American history library and a restaurant space.