Roberto Lugo's 'Drip' is a Fusion of Streetwear and Ceramic Tradition

Philly-based artist and activist Roberto Lugo is reshaping the conversation around “high” and “low” art. Through his ceramic creations, Lugo explores the symbiotic relationship between art, design and culture, fusing classical pottery forms with the raw energy of contemporary street style.

At New York’s R & Company, Lugo’s latest exhibition pays tribute to the enduring visual impact of Nike Air Force 1‘s on basketball and hip-hop through the 1980s and 90s. Titled Drip, the showcase pairs hand-painted sneakers with his beloved teapots, capturing both the spirit of street fashion and the “dripping” effects of ceramic glaze. The artist elevates streetwear to a “respected art form,” and in doing so, honors its makers – faces that are too-often absent on luxury objects.

Featuring the likes of LL Cool J, A Tribe Called Quest, Lauren Hill, Biggie and Run D.M.C., Lugo adorns his teapots in rich patchworks of colors, pattern, sculptural features and graffiti elements. On the sneaker front, each design is crowned with a gold-framed pigeon tag. Notable footwear works include “Jibaro,” where he honors his Puerto Rican roots with a lush scene of farmers and dancers, and “Winged Victory,” a conceptual sneaker inspired by the Greek goddess Niké of Samothrace.

Drip expands on the artist’s exploration of justice, class and artistic hierarchy, rethinking the meaning of “cultural value” and its consumption across eras. “By fusing Black cultural history with centuries-old ceramic traditions, Lugo redefines these objects – the sneaker and the teapot – as meaningful symbols of identity and collective culture,” the gallery wrote.

The exhibition is now on view through April 11.

R & Company
64 White St,
New York, NY 10013