Ground Rules (black line) 2015

Theaster Gates created "Ground Rules (black line)" using reclaimed wood. Gates, born in 1973, explores urban planning, religious space, and craft traditions, reflecting on the African American experience. "Ground Rules (black line)" embodies Gates's interest in the life cycles of materials, taking discarded wood and repurposing it into a work of art. The grid-like composition, punctuated by black lines, evokes maps and architectural plans, but equally alludes to the fragmented nature of urban communities and the stories embedded within found objects. Gates once said: “I make things that operate in the world as things but are deeply connected to a set of ideas about how the world should work.” This sentiment resonates deeply with the themes of urban renewal and social justice that run throughout his practice. The artwork embodies the potential for transformation, asking us to consider the value we assign to objects, spaces, and, by extension, to people.