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Theaster Gates

b. 1973

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Theaster Gates is a social practice installation artist who under the auspices of Rebuild Foundation, a nonprofit arts organization, redevelops buildings is under-resourced communities. Aside from his work as an urban planner, which is what he received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in, Gates is a potter. Through an alter ego, Gates was recognized as an artist when he created the story of a fictional Japanese mentor who supposedly taught him about pottery. From this narrative Gates was able to gain appreciation for his hand as a potter, and has since gone on to be recognized as an award-winning internationally known conceptual artist.

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