There’s something about light that draws us in. It makes us feel safe. It allows us to see more clearly. And without light, we cannot survive. For Charlotte-based artist Rebecca Lipps, light is also an artistic medium, and an opportunity to enter a higher vibrational state. She believes that "movement, especially through repetition, can evoke meditative qualities.”
Rebecca is a multifaceted artist and educator who centers her practice around cultivating immersive experiences. She builds spaces where light, color, motion, and interactivity deepen the relationship between the viewer and their surroundings. Her background in both painting and sculpture informs her approach to video projection, merging digital imagery with physical environments in ways that feel both futuristic and deeply human.
In 2023, for the public festival Charlotte SHOUT, she collaborated with tech artist Caleb Dickerson to set up an interactive flower bulb planting station. Sensors tracked visitors’ movements and translated them into floral graphics projected onto the exterior of the McColl Center. In 2024, the duo took the concept further, using raindrops instead of flowers. As visitors danced in a designated area, their movements disrupted the projected rain, revealing anonymous figures on the side of the building. The joy emanating from the installation was palpable, a unique take on the idea, "dance like no one's watching."
A good starting point for those looking to create immersive experiences? Asking questions. "How can you change the shape of a room and how people interact with that space?" she probes. "Art is more than just looking at an artwork on a wall. How can you develop your current work to surround or interact with others?"
Through Rebecca's work, art becomes a living, responsive entity. Her 2024 collaboration with Super Daft Bros, a self-funded exhibition titled Photonic Flux, invited audiences into a space filled with shifting light and color. Visitors could interact with the lighting control tower, push buttons in hidden alcoves, relax in a light cave, and reignite childhood memories on a glowing swing. “Continuous change reminds us that the future is in flux, and every one of us has the ability to manipulate the world,” she said of the project.
In collaboration with several local artists, Rebecca is set to debut Chromatic Roots: An Immersive Experience in May 2025 at Arts+ in Plaza Midwood. I asked her for some hints about what we might see.
"The theme involves roots creating stagnation in the basement and what could grow in [their] place if you removed the roots. You may find a forest world, a desert, or even an ocean. These worlds are made of lights, buttons, sounds, smells, interactive elements, and a challenging perception of space," she says.
"This will expand the scale of my past immersive work," Rebecca elaborates. Photonic Flux clocked in at 1,000 square feet, whereas this project will be closer to 10,000 square feet. We can expect "more artists, more artwork, and more interactive fun," she promises.
Collaboration is an important part of Rebecca's practice. "I enjoy working collaboratively with others because together we can achieve more than individually," she explains. "Collaborating with an open mind allows us to learn from each other and step outside of our comfort zone. There is a magic that happens."
Rebecca still finds time and space for her individual practice. She recently debuted artwork as part of the McColl Center's new exhibition, Sovereign: Honoring Bodily Autonomy. For BREATHE, she filmed exhibition artists inhaling and exhaling. On opening night, she projected the black-and-white video inside the exterior entrance archway of the building. The film provided a moment of pause, acknowledging the weighty themes of the pieces inside, which examine self-determination, consent, personal agency, reproductive rights, healthcare access, and identity expression.
Rebecca's installations transform passive viewing into active participation. By dissolving the boundary between observer and artwork, she reminds us that we are all creators. Her work moves, responds, and breathes alongside us, illuminating the space we all share. It reminds us to seek the light, step into it, and ultimately, become a part of it.
To keep up with Rebecca’s work, follow her upcoming projects and immersive installations at @rebeccalippsart.
By Alexandra Smith