Now open in New York, Dave: All My Relations by Theaster Gates is among the must-see things in NYC, offering a powerful reflection on the history of ceramic art through the legacy of David Drake. On view from March 26th to May 2nd, 2026 at Gagosian Park & 75, the exhibition bridges past and present through a deeply personal and historical narrative.
History of ceramic art and cultural memory
The exhibition centres on two rare historical vessels by David Drake, displayed alongside two new pieces by Gates. Drake, known as Dave the Potter, was a master of alkali-glazed stoneware whose work defied the restrictions of his time, most notably through his practice of inscribing poetry onto his pieces — an act forbidden for enslaved individuals in the antebellum South. His legacy is a pivotal chapter in the history of ceramic art, combining craftsmanship with resistance and authorship.
Must-see things in NYC: a dialogue across time
Gates’ contribution builds upon this legacy through material and conceptual gestures. One sculptural piece is formed from fragments of the artist’s own ceramics that have been deliberately broken down and reassembled into a monumental structure — an act that symbolises both reverence for and surrender to history. Another large-scale vessel echoes Drake’s techniques and forms and is inscribed with a poetic dialogue between the two artists.
This exhibition commemorates the return of a historic vessel from Gates’s collection to Drake’s descendants and frames ceramics as a living language that carries memory, identity and continuity across generations.
Theaster Gates approaches memory as both material and method, transforming archives into active agents of artistic change. Read our interview with the artist to learn more about history, urban renewal, and the power of cultural memory in preparation for this exhibition.
