Integrating art and nature was the goal of late artist Seward Johnson when he created Grounds for Sculpture, a 42-acre, not-for-profit space in Hamilton, New Jersey, encompassing a sculpture park, arboretum and museum.

Through Jan. 8, visitors can explore the work of artist, ceramicist, educator, social activist and spoken word poet Roberto Lugo, the recipient of numerous awards, including a 2019 Pew Fellowship. The exhibition, titled Roberto Lugo: The Village Potter, includes Put Yourself in the Picture, the artist’s first large-scale piece in milled foam. Visitors can walk into and through the 20-foot-high work by way of a multipurpose viewing platform that also functions as a performance stage and DJ booth during planned events.

 “Grounds For Sculpture amplifies the diverse voices and visions of those working in the field today,” said Gary Schneider, executive director and co-curator, Grounds for Sculpture. “As an artist, Roberto addresses equity and justice through visually compelling and exquisitely made ceramics; as a person, he shares our commitment to making art accessible to all.”

Among other new works in ceramics included in the exhibit are large-scale vessels and Intimately sized tea sets. Lugo, a Philadelphia-based artist who holds an MFA from Penn State, adds what he terms a “21st century street sensibility” to his creations that often includes hand- painted surfaces celebrating individuals not traditionally included in such works. Among these individuals one finds American philosopher, social critic and intellectual Dr. Cornel West and the late American abolitionist and women’s rights activist Sojourner Truth.