Call Clay to Life: The Work of Peter Lupori

Peter Lupori (1918-2014) is a name intrinsically linked to St. Catherine University, given his work at the school as a professor and artist in residence for 44 years, as well as his creation of some of the most iconic pieces of art on campus. Following his 1992 retirement, the university library hosted a retrospective of his career, looking back on the expanse of works created during his tenure. Now, selections of his work are united in the library again, including some that may have never before been displayed. 

Lupori’s work has rarely been examined in chronological order, as he primarily participated in group exhibitions during his career, rather than solo showings. The more typical experience with his art has occurred by simply moving through campus and seeing it on view in such places as Coeur de Catherine (St. Joseph), in front of Our Lady of Victory Chapel (Our Lady), and the English Garden (St. Francis of Assisi) located behind Whitby Hall, to name a few. It is clear that Lupori’s art fundamentally affects the way viewers interpret their surroundings—his bold, thickly-made forms seem to exert a gravitational pull. Our Lady is one such example. The work has become synonymous with the chapel itself, and one cannot imagine the building existing without the sculpture. Reciprocally, we can also ask: how does the space an artist resides in affect their art? In the case of Lupori, this query includes religious spaces, as some of his works are located near sacred spaces on the campus, a Catholic institution. This dialectic between the artist and the artist’s surrounding space will be explored further within this exhibit.

“His gifted hands call clay to life, through line and perfect plane. ‘Keep it simple; don’t get “cutesie’- his lessons never wane.” —Carol Halloran, in a 1993 Lupori retrospective exhibit 

Call Clay to Life follows the work of former St. Catherine University art professor and professor emeritus Peter Lupori. Curated from the St. Catherine University Fine Art Collection by Tessa Schoenecker, ‘25, Call Clay to Life thanks the efforts of The Catherine Murphy Gallery, the Visual Resources Library, and the St. Catherine University Library.