News
God Complex: Different Philadelphia Roberto Lugo, Guest Curator
August 27, 2021
September 11 – December 19, 2021
The Office of the Curator received a 2019 Grant Award from The Sachs Program for Arts Innovation to invite Roberto Lugo to curate an exhibition drawn from the Penn Art Collection. Working virtually on the project during the pandemic, Lugo’s installation God Complex: Different Philadelphia will open at the Arthur Ross Gallery on September 11, 2021.
Roberto Lugo is a Philadelphia-based artist, ceramicist, social activist, poet, and educator. Lugo utilizes classical pottery forms in conjunction with portraiture and surface design reminiscent of his North Philadelphia upbringing and Hip-Hop culture to highlight themes of poverty, inequality, and racial injustice. Roberto Lugo’s works are multicultural mashups; traditional European and Asian ceramic techniques reimagined with a 21st-century street sensibility. Awarded a 2019 Pew Fellowship and the 2019 Rome Prize, Lugo’s work resides in the permanent collections of the Brooklyn Museum, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and The High Museum of Art among others. The artist’s work is currently on view at the Currier Museum of Art in a solo exhibition titled Roberto Lugo: Te traigo mi le lo lai – I bring you my joy, as well as in New Grit (Art & Philly Now) at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Support for God Complex: Different Philadelphia has been provided by The Sachs Program for Arts Innovation, University of Pennsylvania. Additional support for the exhibition is provided by the Arthur Ross Gallery Exhibition Fund, J & AR Foundation, Bill and Kathie Hohns, the Patron’s Circle, and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.
To offer a safe and enjoyable experience, face masks are required at all times inside our building. We recommend advance registration www.arthurrossgallery.org, but walk-ins are allowed. We take these precautions seriously so that you can confidently visit our space to enjoy this remarkable exhibition.
UPCOMING PROGRAMS:
VIRTUAL PROGRAM
Artist Talk: Roberto Lugo, God Complex: Different Philadelphia
Friday, September 10 | 12:00 – 1:00 PM
Register on ArthurRossGallery.org for ZOOM webinar
Opening Reception (in-person)
Friday, September 10 | 5:30 – 7:00 PM
Art Reset
Friday, October 8 | 1:30 PM
Coffee and Conversation
A Conversation with Roberto Lugo and Jennifer Zwilling
Thursday, October 14 | 5:30 PM
Poetry Reading
Thursday, October 21 | 5:30 PM
Moderator: Levi Bentley
Writing Workshop with Levi Bentley
Saturday, November 13 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
This program is limited to 20 peopleRegistration required email: lseesman@upenn.edu
Community, Connection, and Celebration
Thursday, December 2 | 5:30 – 7 pm
12 @ 12 First Wednesday of each month at 12:00 PM
October 6 Lynn Dolby
November 3 Lynn Marsden-Atlass
December 1 TBD
Arthur Ross Gallery
University of Pennsylvania
Housed in the Fisher Fine Arts Library Building
220 South 34thStreet
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Web: www.ArthurRossGallery.org
Email: sabrady@upenn.edu
FREE TO STUDENTS AND THE PUBLIC
Click here to schedule your free timed visit http://www.arthurrossgallery.org/visit/schedule-your-visit/
GALLERY HOURS:
Tues—Fri: 10:00 AM—5:00 PM
Weekends: 12:00—5:00 PM
Closed Mondays
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