Featuring smooth, sleek forms and intricate designs, both Joseph and Sergio’s pottery carry notes of their mother’s work but with a uniqueness all their own. Their new work for the upcoming exhibition, Earthen Echos, takes inspiration from traditional Santa Clara carved and painted pottery, imbued with their own distinctive styles and interpretations.
Joseph Lugo (Santa Clara Pueblo), MMIW Handprint and Buffalo and Elk Skulls, native clay, native fired
Sergio Lugo (Santa Clara Pueblo), Avanyu, native clay, native fired
“I’m really happy and excited about [Sergio and I] being able to work together because growing up, we had the opportunity to be surrounded by all of this art, and we both learned a lot from our family,” says Joseph. “Since we were kids, ever since I can remember, everything traditional was shown to us, and [it was] emphasized that that’s what we should do and what we should follow. So looking back at all the pottery I did as a kid up to 18, it was as traditional as I could possibly be,” he reflects. “Every piece was some traditional design, and there wasn’t quite room for experimentation outside of that. So after taking nearly 10 years off and coming back to the art world with a clearer perspective and understanding of our own traditions, I’ve finally been able to experiment outside of purely traditional while [still] holding onto all of those lessons. I still think of my work as extremely traditional, but I like to think of my designs as based on the meaning I see and the things that I wish to honor from my tribe and family. So instead of just purely traditional, it’s the things I’ve come to understand as being important.”
Joseph Lugo (Santa Clara Pueblo), Birds in the Mist, native clay, native fired
Sergio Lugo (Santa Clara Pueblo), Polychrome Skulls, native clay, native fired
King Galleries owner Charles S. King adds, “Joseph and Sergio are dynamic young voices in pueblo pottery. Using traditional clay materials and firing, their work speaks to the continuing evolution of Native pottery.”
Earthen Echos opens October 21 with a reception from 1 to 3 p.m.
King Galleries
October 21-28, 2023
130 Lincoln Avenue, Suite D, Santa Fe, NM 87501
(480) 440-3912, www.kinggalleries.com
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