Chicago-based artist Theaster Gates has acquired Pickard China, the last remaining high-end porcelain manufacturer in the U.S.
Founded in 1893 and based in Antioch, Illinois, Pickard has spent more than a century producing porcelain for clients ranging from the White House and U.S. embassies to hotels, private clubs and major retailers. In recent decades, however, the company has faced slower production and an aging factory in need of major upgrades.
Gates first connected with Pickard while searching for an American manufacturer for a homewares project with Prada. Andy Pickard Morgan, the fourth-generation family member who has led the company since 2006, later approached Gates about taking over the business as he prepared for retirement and no one in the family planned to continue running it…