ARTIST STATEMENT

My work critiques the idealized view of mid-century America, questioning how culture and a curated image of the American Dream were packaged and sold through media. Using objects from that era, like TVs, radios, comic books, and historical journalism, I explore ongoing issues such as inequality, discrimination, violence, and societal morals. I question why we continue to repeat the same mistakes and seek to address this through my art.

ARTIST BIO

Julie Lipa, a self-taught artist from Detroit, channels her fascination with discarded objects into her art, a passion ignited by garbage picking with her parents. Her creative path was further shaped by an influential electro-kinetic teacher at Macomb County Community College, who taught her to see the world differently. Early on, Lipa repurposed 1950s portable TVs into functional art. But, ultimately, she needed to make the rent, so she stopped making art and founded an entertainment marketing agency.

Two decades later, she retired and returned to her art. Her work can be found at the Smithsonian Affiliate The Atomic Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada and in private collections.