CLOSING SOON: The exhibitions “Robert Lugo: The Village Potter,” left, and “Fragile: Earth” are on view at Grounds For Sculpture in Hamilton through January 8. Both feature works by contemporary artists working in ceramics.

Two exhibitions currently on view at Grounds For Sculpture, presenting new works by 17 contemporary artists working in ceramics, are in their final weeks and will close on January 8.

“As a platform for contemporary art and artists, Grounds For Sculpture amplifies the diverse voices and visions of those working in the field today. Our focused look at the underrepresented medium of ceramics shines a light on artists of color firing a new future in clay,” said Gary Schneider, executive director of Grounds For Sculpture, when introducing the exhibitions in the spring.

The solo exhibition “Roberto Lugo: The Village Potter” debuted all new works by the artist, social activist, spoken word poet, and educator. Reimagining traditional European and Asian porcelain forms and techniques with a 21st-century street sensibility, these multi-cultural mashups were created on site by Lugo during his residency at Grounds For Sculpture last winter. The installation includes Put Yourself in the Picture, a 20-foot-high vessel with an interactive viewing platform, representing the first time the artist has worked at this monumental scale.

In his current practice, Lugo uses a variety of clay bodies, including porcelain, and illuminates its historically aristocratic surface with imagery that creates conversation around key themes in his work: equity, access, and social and racial justice. His surface treatment is a mixture of traditional design, graffiti, and portraiture focusing on representation of iconic people of color from contemporary culture as well as history, from Sojourner Truth to The Notorious BIG and Lugo’s family members including himself and extending to recent events including Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Court confirmation. The exhibition gallery includes a drop-in maker space that gives visitors the opportunity to experience the materiality of clay as well as a mentorship area with works by artists who influenced Lugo’s work in ceramics.

“For my exhibition at GFS, I reflected on what it means to be the ‘village potter’ — both in terms of celebrating the people who have paved the way forward for me and striving to build that sense of community support for others,” said Lugo. “Art builds empathy as well as an understanding of other people that will lead us to see ourselves in one another and grow a family rather than a society.”

“Fragile: Earth” is a group exhibition of works by artists of color who meditate on social, environmental, and individual perceptions of fragility through the medium of clay. The exhibition is presented in partnership with The Color Network, which seeks to advance people of color in the ceramic arts through community-building, events, exhibitions, mentorship, and other resources. The 16 artists whose works are on view were selected through The Color Network, by curatorial invitation, and through an open call.

United by their ceramics practice and inclusive of a myriad of social, cultural, economic, geographical, and ethnic backgrounds, the featured artists are Natalia Arbelaez, Ashwini Bhat, Ebitenyefa Baralaye, Syd Carpenter, Adam Chau, Jennifer Ling Datchuk, Magdolene Dykstra, April Felipe, Raheleh Filsoofi, Salvador Jiménez-Flores, Anabel Juárez, Anina Major, Jane Margarette, Mariana Ramos Ortiz, Virgil Ortiz, and Sarah Petty.

Both “Roberto Lugo: The Village Potter” and “Fragile: Earth” are on view to the public with general admission. Advance timed ticket reservations are highly recommended to ensure entry. Reservations can be made online at groundsforsculpture.org.

Also on view at Grounds For Sculpture, “Night Forms: Infinite Wave,” an immersive multi-sensory experience described by Klip Collective’s creative director/founder Ricardo Rivera as “a psychedelic playground of art, music, and light,” is open through April 2.

Grounds For Sculpture is located at 80 Sculptors Way in Hamilton. For more information, visit groundsforsculpture.org.