The Chicago planner-turned-artist’s transformation of Stony Island bank is the latest high-profile example of how the arts can drive a city’s redevelopment. But is this always a good thing? A pair of octogenarian siblings were two of the first visitors to the recent opening of the former Stony Island State Savings Bank on Chicago’s South Side. They were last inside the building nearly 70 years ago, when their Greek father ran a small food stand in one of its alcoves, back when it was still a bank. Today, the building has awoken from a decades-long slumber of dereliction and abandonment as the Stony Island Arts Bank, an art gallery, community arts space and archival library. It’s the showpiece of Chicago artist Theaster Gates, who’s parlayed his art world star power to develop a handful of arts-focused community projects that mix art-making with neighbourhood development. Trained as an urban planner, he’s one of a growing group of artists who are turning art into urban regeneration, and urban regeneration into art. Continue reading...
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