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Label Text An American artist living in Chicago, Gates works in painting, sculpture, clay, and performance to present social commentary on history, labor, materials, commodity, and the urban condition. His practice includes the reclamation of property in a Chicago neighborhood that has created social gathering sites for the community. Just as Gates reclaims real estate for social activity, his materials have included reclaimed firehoses that evoke historial riot dispersal procedures; discarded, wooden basketball floors; and even tar, which was used to "mark" slaves who attempted to sreal food. Gates attempts to "recharge" these objects and their histories. However, clay has been a recurring material for Gates throughout his career.To him, a ceramic vessel is a universal object of ceremonial significance; it is a reliquary of history and human experience. It is underneath everything. Gates states, "If it were not for clay, I would not have started my practice." Source: news May Jun Jul Aug 2021
DimensionsOverall: 43 × 20 × 20 in. (109.2 × 50.8 × 50.8 cm)
Accession Number 2021.4.a-.c
Classificationsceramic
ProvenanceArtist; (Gagosian Gallery, New York); Des Moines Art Center [purchased from the previous, 2021]
Vessel #19
Photo Credit: Rick Lozier
Photo Credit: Rick Lozier
Photo Credit: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Antoni Tàpies
1964
Photo Credit: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Ugo Rondinone
2005
Photo Credit: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Ugo Rondinone
2006
Photo Credit: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Propeller Group
2015
Photo Credit: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Stephen J. Polchert
date unknown
Photo Credit: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Don Finegan
date unknown
Photo Credit: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Isabella Liddell
date unknown
Photo Credit: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Ken Ferguson
date unknown