Jesse Lott (1943 – July 24, 2023) was an American visual artist known for his wire and wood sculptures, papier mâché figures, and collages made from found materials within a style he called "urban frontier art".

Following a trip to Africa, he visited area high schools, including Lott's, and expounded on art, specifically the role of the black artist.

From Virginia, he moved across the country to California State University (1965) and then Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles.

Lott fell in with the Black Arts Movement, a group of conceptual artists and collagists which included White, David Hammons, and Joe Overstreet.

[6] While Lott was skilled at painting and drawing, he soon discovered his true gift, turning trash to treasure and combining it with the spirit of activism.

In the summer of 1977, Robinson Galleries held a major exhibition of his work, Relics of the Future, the first large solo show for Lott.

At Surls' invitation Art in America editor Lucy Lippard covered the exhibit for the international magazine.

In the catalog for Jesse Lott: Urban Frontier Artist (1999), longtime friend and supporter Jim Harithas wrote, "He is respected for the integrity and mojo power of his art and greatly admired for his many private acts of compassion to the homeless, to poverty-stricken seniors, to the young and to artists throughout the community.

Lott's community oriented philosophy and his Artists in Action program helped spark the creation of the now famous Project Row Houses.

The sculptural technique, represented here, is a combination of the natural resources of the urban community along with the skill of a trained artist and the attitude of the primitive.

[9] Lott employed these urban castoffs: wire, broken glass, tree roots and branches, scraps of costume jewelry, furniture legs, metal bed frames and springs, and discarded paper in his sculptural work.

"[11] Another low cost technique Lott used for sculpting is known as El Piñatero Method because of its similarity to piñata making as layers of papier mâché are applied over frameworks (sometimes combined with discarded, reclaimed objects) to create human, animal, and other forms.

Additional cones were employed by Lott to form the limbs, then more paper of all types and colors were layered on top to build the figures, which range from 3 inches to 10 feet tall.

[13] An exhibit on Project Row Houses is on permanent display at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture.

[3] The accompanying exhibition featured a detailed survey of more than 30 pieces: sculpture, drawing, and collage, highlighting the three key materials in Lott's work: paper, wire, and wood.

The work was drawn from art historical, political, and personal perspectives, and evidenced Lott's profound engagement with the creative process and his commitment to the value of lifelong learning and community building.

The show also referenced Lott's significant influence as both a teacher and mentor by including work by longtime students and co-collaborators of his.

[14] The piece follows Lott from an unexpected hospital stay, through his preparation for the 2016 Art League exhibit to the show's opening at which he received the lifetime achievement award from longtime friend, artist Mel Chin.