Ceramic artist Roberto Lugo transforms the language of classical form into a living dialogue about culture and identity. His vessels, shown at R & Company, merge Greek amphora silhouettes with the vibrancy of hip-hop and street art, creating a new visual vernacular for contemporary ceramics.

Rather than replicating the past, Lugo builds upon it. Portraits of icons like Tupac and Biggie replace mythic gods, while gold chains and graffiti script trace over glazes once reserved for aristocracy. Through this layering of imagery and influence, his work rejects nostalgia and instead reframes history through color, rhythm, and community. Each piece feels both archival and revolutionary.

The result is unapologetically hybrid, ancient in form yet unmistakably modern in voice. Placed within a lobby, gallery, or hotel atrium, these vessels would function less as décor and more as dialogue, inviting viewers to question who art has historically represented and why.

See more ways tradition evolves through design in Karim Rashid for Riva 1920.

^{Main image features: 1-Roberto Lugo Roberto Lugo. The Chase (Tag), from the Wedgewood series. Vessel. 2024. Stoneware, enamel. 2-Roberto Lugo Roberto Lugo. The Chase (Cops & Robbers), from the Wedgewood series. Vessel. 2024. Stoneware, enamel.}