Chicago artist Theaster Gates is to design the 2022 Serpentine Pavilion, making him the first non-architect solely commissioned for the Pavilion.
A spokesperson for Serpentine Gallery confirmed Gate’s commission for the pavilion, which was first reported byThe Architect’s Journal, but said it was “too early” to discuss the artist’s plans.
Theaster Gates’s commission will be the 21st iteration of the pavilion, which has been awarded annually to an international architect or firm since 2000. Those chosen are tasked with designing a temporary structure near Serpentine’s two galleries in London’s Kensington Gardens.
Previous pavilion architects include Zaha Hadid, who designed the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati and the Broad Art Museum at Michigan State University; Daniel Libeskind, who was responsible for the extension to the Denver Art Museum; and Frank Gehry, who designed the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.
The 2021 Pavilion designed by Johannesburg-based practice Counterspace, directed by Sumayya Vally is due to re-open on 11th June 2021.
