Delvin Lugo

About the guest
 
Delvin Lugo is a Dominican painter based in New York.
 
In Delvin Lugo’s current series of paintings “Early Life in Neon,” the artist revisits memories from his hometown in Moncion, Dominican Republic. In these vibrant works, Lugo highlights positive, nurturing, and comic aspects of the rural life his family lived prior to their emigration to the United States when he was twelve years old.
 

Resourcefulness and improvisation were intertwined with his earliest expressions of identity as a gay boy interested in fashion and the fabulous, so wearing one of his mother’s earrings or having a homemade Barbie doll are celebrated in these paintings. Highlighting the retrospectively humorous elements of these early expressions is also essential in this series. Years before Lugo (or his family members) learned to speak English his favorite t-shirt bore the slogan “Bitch, Bitch, Bitch!”and he proudly showcases it here. This bold approach to life is manifested and amplified through the use of vibrant and fluorescent colors in the paintings. To accentuate the spirit of playfulness, these paintings can also be viewed in black light. In any light, though, they are full of delight, resilience, and a tenacious joy.
 

Delvin attended Maine College of Art for art foundation and BFA from School of Visual Arts. He currently resides in New York City.

The Truth In This Art
The Truth In This Art is a podcast interview series supporting vibrancy and development of Baltimore & beyond’s arts and culture.
 
Mentioned in this episode:

Delvin’s website

 
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