Morgan Lugo

Artist Statement

Morgan Lugo is a Sicilian/Puerto Rican sculptor from Atlanta, Georgia. Lugo's work explores the nuances of memory within the human experience. Morgan prefers to use permanent materials, such as bronze, to speak to the lasting effects of past experiences on the progression of personal growth. After healing from a brain injury, Lugo became fascinated with the physicality of memory and what a fleeting moment of personal experience might look like as it transitions into a memory. Lugo's work explores the physical instances where individual and communal memories intersect and simultaneously influence one another. Lugo explores this intersection by recreating the structural similarities between the human body and the universe. She utilizes the structural compositions of neurons in the brain and various astronomical phenomena, such as constellations. These works show how our unique perspectives, along with the cultural influences of our communities, largely shape the individuality of our own experiences within a shared space. Morgan's sculptures depict memories as personalized constellations stored within the neurological structures of our brains. Lugo celebrates the eternally symbiotic relationship of personal and communal memory by highlighting how our individualized experiences and perspectives seamlessly weave into the cultural fabrics of our communities and how strongly the enriched cultural fabric of our communities shapes individual identity.

Artist Bio

Morgan Lugo earned a BFA with a concentration in Sculpture from Georgia State University in 2015. Since 2017, Morgan has been working in different bronze foundries, nationally and internationally, helping create large-scale bronze monuments for the eastern seaboard of The United States and the Caribbean. Working as a foundry craftswoman for seven years has allowed Morgan to cultivate an intimate knowledge of creating cast metal sculptures. A deep understanding of the metal casting process has allowed Morgan to push the boundaries of the historic craft in a very unique way. Lugo has had her work shown in institutions such as The High Museum of Art, The Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia, The Marietta Cobb Museum of Art, and The Metal Museum. In 2019, Lugo's work is part of the city of Atlanta for The Fulton County Public Art Permanent Collection. In 2020, Lugo was honored by being included in the initial cohort of residents for the Arts and Social Justice Fellowship at Emory University. In 2023, Lugo worked with UPS, The University of North Georiga, and The Steffan Thomas Museum on projects to celebrate and promote the visibility of Hispanic/Latinx art. Currently, Lugo is creating new work for her upcoming solo shows in 2024: Upstate Gallery at The University of South Carolina Upstate in Spartanburg, South Carolina and The Keeler Gallery at The Metal Museum in Memphis, Tennessee.