Kensington street artist Roberto Lugo lands art at Philadelphia Museum of Art
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Roberto Lugo is a potter whose work represents the Kensington neighborhood where he grew up.
His work combines traditional European and Asian ceramic arts, highlighting public figure icons and designs from his Afro-Latino heritage.
"I tend to feature people of color who are historically underrepresented in these avenues that are traditionally meant to pay homage to people who are important," says Roberto.
Growing up, he didn't have many outlets for creativity, so he turned to street art.
"One of the things that was really interesting is how often that graffiti will get covered up. However, other things weren't getting fixed," says Roberto.
One of his first jobs happened to be located across the street from the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Now, his work is part of the Museum's permanent collection.
His work has also been featured in museums all over the country, including New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Roberto's advocacy efforts for the arts often bring him back to Kensington, as he provides students with skills and resources to get involved.
"I'm trying to get rid of some of the obstacles and barriers there are to get started," says Roberto.
Leading by example, he shows that artistic careers are possible and worthwhile.
After becoming a Master of Fine Arts at Penn State, Roberto is now a professor at Temple University's Tyler School of Art.
