World Economic Forum
Theaster Gates
CeramicistSculptorMixed MediaKnown for:
Ceramics, tar paintings, and social practice installations using salvaged and found materials
Education:
Iowa State University (BS Urban Planning, 1996; MS Urban Planning/Ceramics, 2005); University of Cape Town (1998); Tokoname, Japan ceramics residency (1999)
Theaster Gates is a Chicago-born artist, potter, and urban planner whose practice spans ceramics, sculpture, installation, and tar painting. He trained in pottery under Koichi Ohara in Tokoname, Japan and maintains a studio and anagama wood kiln there. His work transforms common materials like clay, tar, brick, and salvaged objects into art that addresses Black history, craft traditions, and the decline of urban institutions. He is a professor in the Department of Visual Arts at the University of Chicago and has received the Guggenheim Fellowship (2025) and the Isamu Noguchi Award (2023).
Theaster Gates's Gear List(2)
Generic
Product description
Mid- to high-fire clay body that matures between Cone 6 and Cone 10 (roughly 1200-1300C). Denser and less porous than earthenware after firing, stoneware is used for functional pottery and sculptural work requiring structural strength.
Connection note
Wheel-thrown stoneware vessels including tea bowls, water jars, sake cups, and vases. Trained under Koichi Ohara in Tokoname, Japan.
Generic
Product description
Motorized or kick-driven wheel used for throwing clay vessels. Electric wheels with variable speed control are standard in contemporary studios.
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Last updated March 22, 2026
