About Theaster Gates:
The National Building Museum announced that Theaster Gates is the recipient of the 2023 Vincent Scully Prize. Theaster Gates is an American social practice installation artist, sculptor, potter, professor in the Department of Visual Arts at the University of Chicago and he works to revitalize underserved neighborhoods by combining urban planning and art practices,Gates has also participated in multiple past cycles of the Chicago Architecture Biennial.
©Theaster Gates
The Vincent Scully Prize was founded in 1999 to acknowledge outstanding work, academic achievement, or insightful analysis in architecture, historic preservation, and urban design. The National Building Museum in Washington, D.C, established this award. It was first given to the renowned Yale professor and the person it was named after, Vincent Scully, an author and educator.
©Julien Faure/Paris Match/Contour By Getty Images
Gates becomes part of a prestigious list that includes individuals like Robert Campbell, Inga Safron, Mabel O. Wilson, and the previous year’s honoree, Dolores Hayden, as the 25th recipient of this award. Gates is set to be honored with the Scully Prize during a public event scheduled for November 3 at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. After receiving the award, Gates will engage in a discussion with Jessica Bell Brown, who serves as the curator and head of the contemporary art department at the Baltimore Museum of Art, and Germane Barnes, an architect, designer, and the principal of Studio Barnes.
Olivia Bennett is a seasoned American news editor at Arch2O, born in the UK and a proud alumna of UCLA, where she studied Architecture and Media Studies. With a strong editorial background and a passion for design storytelling, she excels in translating complex architectural ideas into engaging narratives. Olivia focuses on contemporary trends, sustainability, and emerging talents in the field, offering readers a fresh, global perspective on the built environment.