Theaster Gates, Michelle Grabner and Zachary Cahill in Conversation at Gray Warehouse

On the occasion of his exhibition 'Every Square Needs a Circle,' Theaster Gates joined Michelle Grabner and Zachary Cahill in conversation for a panel discussion examining the exhibition in depth as it relates to his larger practice.
Every Square Needs a Circle presented new sculpture, installation, tar paintings, and neon work by Theaster Gates. Relating moments from art history to stories of quotidian labor, the exhibition marks a continuation of Gates’s long engagement with the work of American sociologist W.E.B. Du Bois, whose examination of genius and progress in Black America from Emancipation to the mid-20th century has been a source of inspiration for the artist. Placing his interest in poetics and the history of objects, Gates’s multi-faceted installation bridges the work of Du Bois with architectural excerpts from Chicago, expounding on the archives that hold and preserve records of Black intelligence.
This panel took place at Gray Warehouse on Wednesday, June 19th, 2019, at 6:00 PM.
Artwork © Theaster Gates. Video © Richard Gray Gallery. Production and Editing: David Sampson.