Michelle Lopez

Michelle Lopez is an Associate Professor of Fine Arts at the Stuart Weitzman School of Design, University of Pennsylvania. She is known for her conceptual and experimental sculptural practice, which investigates cultural iconography, capitalism, and power structures through innovative material processes.

Her educational background includes:

• MFA from the School of Visual Arts
• BA in Literature and Art History from Barnard College

Lopez's research centers on the intersection of material culture and political critique. Her work often deconstructs symbols of capitalism and power through sculptural interventions, such as leather-covered cars and crumpled metal forms. Recent projects explore violence and disappearance via silver-nitrate pours on glass, creating elegiac reflections that implicate the viewer.

Her accolades include:

• NYFA Sculpture Fellowship (2011)
• NYFA 9/11 Support Grant (2002)
• NYFA Fiscal Sponsorship (2009)
• UC Berkeley Faculty Research Grants (2002-2005)

Lopez has secured significant research funding, including multiple grants from the New York Foundation for the Arts and faculty research grants from UC Berkeley during her tenure there.