Maria and Dora, The Cleaners, Textile Based Installation, 12″ x 10″ x 14″

Julia Justo: Story Hidden in Stitches

Written by Miles McKeller-Smith
Images Provided by Julia Justo
November 20, 2023

For Julia Justo, fiber arts have always been linked to storytelling.  From her early years in Argentina, knitting would offer time for the women of her family to connect with one another for extended periods of time.  These days she’s based in New York City and uses fiber arts to share the stories of marginalized people who are often hidden in plain sight. We spoke with Julia to discuss her career, fiber arts, and her critically acclaimed Street Vendor Series.

Tell us about your upbringing and your beginnings as an artist.

I was born in Argentina. I’m now based in New York. I am an interdisciplinary artist working across a variety of media like installations, embroidery, textiles, photography. Sometimes I even combine them. In general, I focus on issues of social justice, like immigrants rights, women’s rights, or workers rights. I’m Italian and indigenous. That’s my ancestry. I usually combine my two heritages in my artwork. I also include the perspective that I learned in my time as an immigrant in America.

I came here to New York in 1999 to study English for a couple of months and I love New York so much that I’ve stayed 24 years. What I liked the most about New York was the cultural life. There are so many museums and galleries that I could visit. And then I started exhibiting in some of them. So, yes, my heritage is always part of my artwork. I take inspiration from what I learned in this country, the United States, and my upbringing in Argentina.

How did you fair with getting your bearings in such a big city when you’re fresh to the United States?

I came here like many immigrants with the idea of having a better life. The American Dream that we all know about in our countries. So as soon as I came here with all my hopes and dreams for the future, I realized pretty much right away how hard it is and how much you have to work and struggle. During the first few years, it was harder because I came here by myself. I didn’t know anybody. But I kept working. I stayed focused. I knew that I had to work much more because I was not from here and I didn’t know anyone. I didn’t have my family. Over the years I realized how small steps give you results over time. That sooner or later you see the fruit of what you build.

Let’s talk a little more about your start as an artist. What was the first medium that you really explored as an artist?

Well, I don’t remember when I started doing art because usually we all make art when we are children. Usually people stop to do other things. In my case, I just never stopped. I remember starting with drawing. Then I started painting.

Then when I was 18, I went to college to get my master’s in arts, where I was trained as a painter. Although over the years I wanted to experiment with other mediums. Now I almost don’t do painting at all. I’m more focused on embroidery and other mediums that before were not recognized as art. I’ve seen that in my family where people were doing crochet or knitting and that was not something that was considered high art. Before it was all about painting and sculpture. But there are mediums like textiles where you can do really great pieces of art and now it’s more recognized. You get to exhibit them and share with others. There’s more of an appreciation towards that kind of medium.

Talk to us about your Street Vendor series. Why did you chose to use embroidery as a way to convey those stories?

Read the full interview in Issue 3 of crEATe Magazine