Theaster Gates participates in the Hawai’i Triennial 2022

Theaster Gates is among the 43 local and international artists and collectives participating in the Hawai’i Triennial 2022 (HT22). Titled ‘Pacific Century – E Ho‘omau no Moananuiākea’, the citywide exhibition takes place in seven locations and brings together artists whose work explores themes of history, place, social activism, environmental change, and indigenous knowledge within the context of Hawaiʻi’s unique location at the confluence of Asia-Pacific and Oceania.

For this exhibition, Gates will be presenting a series of tarred vessels in which the artist combines objects ranging from handmade wares to industrially-produced ceramics with tar and other materials used in roofing. Gates avidly collects vessels by studio potters from Europe, the United States, Japan and Nigeria, which has informed his thinking about clay. His interest in clay ranges from the utilitarian, to the ceremonial, to a global commodity. By marrying the history of the material to its history of labour, Gates allows for a level of equality to exist, while also creating a dialogue between traditions and embracing the chance effects of firing.