Space

The 20-foot-tall dark brick cylinder made of reclaimed brick frames a sculpture of Saint Laurence. The figure was salvaged from a church in Chicago where Gates has his studio. Gates describes the work as a secular sacred sanctuary—a place for gathering and reflection. One of his works’ distinctive features involves utilizing discarded materials, transforming humble everyday items into new forms, while drawing connections between fine art and social progress. Many of his works utilize collections that evoke African American identity, a struggle for civil rights and what he describes as black space. Interestingly, Saint Laurence’s attempts to protect the written records of the early Church led to his identification as the patron saint of archivists and librarians.

Laurence was appointed a deacon of the Church in Rome by Pope Sixtus II in the year 257 and was given the responsibility of overseeing the treasury and distributing alms to the indigent.

During the Roman persecution of the Church, and a mere year after his appointment, authorities executed the Pope, then turned their attention to the young deacon, demanding he turn over the Church’s riches.  Laurence asked for three days to gather the treasure during which time he swiftly distributed it to the poor. When he was brought before the Roman authorities to deliver the treasures, he presented the poor, crippled and suffering people and declared them the true treasures of the Church, proclaiming: “The Church is far richer than your emperor.” As a result Saint Laurence was promptly decapitated along with six other deacons.

“I spend a lot of time looking for the personality of people…” Gates says. “And then maybe even trying to tease out… why those things are important.”