We Here (The Free Church of St. John)

We Here is an art project in Kensington led by artist Roberto Lugo and a Community Advisory Council, focusing on youth, creativity, and pottery. Lugo’s mashup of classical ceramic shapes and urban surface design invites Kensington to see art as a mirror of their collective creativity, identity and strength. Led by a Community Advisory Committee, We Here workshops generated dozens of patterns which Lugo incorporated into his sculptures at three sites: The Free Church of St. John, Kensington Corridor Trust and Taller Puertorriqueño. These monumental vessels stands as a testament to the rich tapestry of the neighborhood and allows visitors to step inside and see themselves in the artwork.

We Here offered an immersive artistic journey with workshops and public programs throughout the project. During Fall 2023, a series of community workshops in Kensington generated dozens of unique pattern designs, which artist Robert Lugo has since incorporated into three monumental outdoor sculptures. Each twelve-foot vessel, installed at sites across Kensington in summer 2024, stands as a testament to the neighborhood’s rich cultural tapestry and features a cutout entryway that allows visitors to step inside and see themselves in the artwork. Lugo’s unique blend of classical ceramics and urban culture invites the Kensington community to see art as a mirror of their collective creativity, identity and strength.

During 2024, free pottery workshops continued at the Mural Arts Philadelphia Kensington Storefront while sculpture tours, a block party and a public forum invited people to experience We Here throughout the summer and fall.