Alice Tippit’s solo exhibition at the DePaul Art Museum presents paintings that playfully deceive, making viewers question what they see and what it means. Each painting is a puzzle, inviting multiple interpretations, like ‘Monitor’ which could depict an eye, an egg or a blouse. This ambiguity reflects Tippit's belief in the limitations of language to fully express human experience.

Through her meticulous compositions, Tippit challenges both visual and verbal communication, asking if singular meanings are ever truly fixed. Her works oscillate between snakes and smiles, curtains and bodies, leaving viewers unsure whether they see what others do. This uncertainty mirrors a broader skepticism about the depth of understanding any single interpretation can provide.

‘Rose Obsolete,’ named after a series of notepad drawings, further explores this theme by pairing words in an ambiguous cursive script that suggests multiple meanings and connotations. The juxtaposition of visual art with written language emphasizes Tippit’s broader inquiry into human perception and expression.

The exhibition comes as the DePaul Art Museum faces closure, a decision that has sparked outrage from local artists, educators, and community members. This closure threatens not just a museum but a critical platform for politically insightful and culturally inclusive exhibitions, highlighting the importance of such institutions in fostering dialogue and understanding among diverse communities.