Dance of Malaga is the latest video produced and directed by Theaster Gates. It furthers his exploration of performance and non-linear narratives and addresses the complex and intertwining issues of race, territory, inequality, and sexuality in the northern United States since the end of the Civil War. The video concerns a still-uninhabited island off the coast of Maine whose inhabitants (of African or part-African descent) were forced to leave the semi-autonomous enclave in 1912.

Theaster Gates’s (born 1973 in Chicago) practice includes sculpture, installation, performance, and urban interventions that aim to bridge the gap between art and life. He works as an artist, curator, urbanist, and facilitator. His projects trigger the creation of cultural communities by acting as catalysts for social engagement that leads to political and spatial change. Gates lives and works in Chicago.

Production supported by the Lunder Institute for American Art, Colby College; University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy; and the Maine Coast Heritage Trust
Videographer: Chris Strong

Access the Audio Guide by Magalí Arriola.