Artist and Activist Roberto Lugo Addresses Millbrook Community
On Monday, October 3rd, Millbrook welcomed artist Roberto Lugo to address students and faculty as part of the John Berkey ’91 Visiting Artist Program.
Lugo is a ceramicist, spoken word artist, and professor. He is best known for his vessels, which are decorated with portraits that connect U.S. history, race, pop culture, and his own life experiences. A dynamic speaker, he has delivered presentations at institutions nationwide including Harvard University, the Philips Museum, the Alexandria Arts Center, and many more.
Lugo was raised in a poor neighborhood of Philadelphia during the 1980’s, and was exposed to prevalent drug use and gang activity at a young age. He began his address by sharing photos from his hometown:
“I recently went back to visit my neighborhood with my wife, and I saw strips of houses. Many of them were falling apart, with the interiors exposed. They all had stairs that lead to nowhere,” said Lugo, who went on to discuss how this was a metaphor for his childhood, having grown up with little or no opportunities.
Lugo discussed some of the most impactful moments in his life: watching his brother be incarcerated, his firsthand experiences with racism, and learning that his school did not offer an art program.
It is this upbringing that ultimately motivated him to become the artist and activist that he is today. His artwork is not only captivating, but it also tackles complex issues such as oppression, racism, poverty, slavery, and politics. He reviewed many of his pieces and discussed his inspirations and creative process.
“I make specific decisions about my life,” said Lugo at the conclusion of his address. “I chose to come meet with you, and it is because I believe that you’re going to have the ability to prevent someone else from getting discriminated against in the way that I was. . . I believe that you have the power to change humanity.”
Students were then invited to participate in a dialogue with Lugo and to ask questions about his address, which allowed our community to learn about his experiences and make connections to ourselves and to society.
Students were then invited to participate in a dialogue with Lugo and to ask questions about his address, which allowed our community to learn about his experiences and make connections to ourselves and to society.
Millbrook was able to bring Lugo to campus through the generosity of alumnus John Berkey ’91, whose sponsorship is driven by the goal of bringing more artists to campus.
“When we initially began discussions about bringing different artists to campus, we knew that we wanted to invite people who would foster collaboration. Roberto Lugo is not only an artist of multiple disciplines, but his works call observers to come together in taking action to better mankind. He is an amazing person and truly a perfect fit for launching this exciting initiative,” said Arts Department Chair Sarah MacWright.
It was an honor to welcome Roberto Lugo, and we look forward to learning from other artists throughout the speaker series. Visit our online photo gallery and Millbrook in Motion for photos and video.
