Theaster Gates recently posed for a portrait at the Pickard China factory in Antioch, Illinois. At 53, the Chicago-based artist has acquired this business for an undisclosed amount. The factory, located 50 miles northwest of Chicago, is a spacious area housing large, noisy machinery covered in clay. Its decorating room exudes a strong turpentine odor, due to the guilders mixing it with pigments to hand-paint porcelain items like plates and cups.
“I don’t even notice the smell,” said Rachael Keeling, an employee deftly applying a green band to a spinning porcelain plate. Originally from Britain, Keeling is part of Pickard’s small group of British craftspeople and moved to the U.S. to work at Pickard 25 years ago when fine china production in the UK shifted to more automated and overseas processes. She expressed concern for her future amid these changes.
A Declining Industry
Once a part of a thriving industry, Pickard China is the last of its kind in the U.S. It serves prestigious clients such as the White House, U.S. embassies, luxury hotels, and high-end retailers like Williams-Sonoma. Despite this, Pickard and the wider fine china industry have been declining. The factory now produces only a quarter of its peak 1970s output and needs considerable renovations.
A cultural shift towards casual lifestyles and rising manufacturing costs have driven most American china factories to close or relocate overseas.
Philip Scranton, a historian at Rutgers University, attributes Pickard’s endurance to its deep-rooted legacy since its founding in 1893 by Wilder Pickard. The company remained family-run until Theaster Gates, a renowned artist, entered the scene.
An Artistic Vision
Gates learned about Pickard through Illinois First Lady MK Pritzker, a friend among many influential contacts, including the Obamas. He is celebrated for working with salvaged materials that fetch high prices in museums. Gates holds a partnership with Prada and teaches at the University of Chicago. On a recent September visit, he informed Pickard’s 12 full-time staff members about his acquisition.
Andy Pickard Morgan sought Gates to lead the business due to a lack of interest from family members in managing the company’s aging infrastructure and specialized workforce. Gates warmly accepted the opportunity, seeking to rejuvenate the artisanal craft of porcelain manufacturing.
A Strategic Match
Gates’s previous endeavors include converting a condemned bank building into the Stony Island Arts Bank, a cultural hub that houses significant African-American heritage collections. His acquisitions continue to reflect his respect for preserving and expanding legacy cultural assets.
Linda Johnson Rice, of Johnson Publishing, expressed support for Gates’s acquisition but noted that operating an ongoing business presents unique challenges different from transforming static cultural assets.
Facing Challenges Ahead
As the new president of Pickard China, Gates plans substantial repairs, like roof and HVAC system updates, while assembling a robust management team. Despite potential hurdles, Gates remains enthusiastic about expanding his artistic practices and incorporating porcelain into his work.
In the words of Gates, “Not only do I get to add to the legacy, it’s giving me new ideas for what the future of my artistic practice will be.” With this acquisition, Gates sees the potential to innovate within the realm of ceramics, backed by the legacy of a well-established china factory.