About Roberto Lugo

Roberto was inspired by the entrance of El Duomo in Florence, Italy, and specifically by the permanence of the saints represented in the various niches of the building's exterior.  Having a long-time interest in graffiti art, he hopes to combine his love of clay (and its permanence) with a graffiti-like approach to tell the story of under-represented cultures within the arts.  His early research into this concept is through the creation of urns that depict his own portrait,which serve as proof of his personal value.  His research will expose him to Florentine niches, and to two artists who helped bring the idea of hand-made objects to our attention: William Morris and Yanagi Soetsu of the Mingei movement

Roberto will travel to Philadelphia for his study, where he'll create a series of "Rest in Peace" murals in public spaces to honor individuals lost through brutal means in urban Philly. Roberto is currently completing his graduate coursework at Penn State University.