Theaster Gates’ Social Formations

Anagnost discusses the social formations of artist and urbanist Theaster Gates. As artist and urbanist, he is his own patron, his own institution, his own LLC. He is a combined start-up and content creator. Though artists have long engaged in corporate parodies, Gates goes beyond the twee anarcho-entrepreneurship of the Bernadette Corporation or the politicized media takeovers of the Yes Men. He creates new art spaces as anchor institutions in blighted blocks. His works propel white creative types to penetrate black areas of the city formerly unknown to them. His renown encourages art tourists to travel beyond the usual downtown museum circuit. But Gates does not draw attention with mural paintings or large public sculptures. His artwork is simply real estate. And there is real money at stake.