Joanie Wind (b. 1987, Tucson, Arizona; she/they) is a Detroit-based mixed media painter and award-winning filmmaker whose practice is driven by humor as a coping mechanism and critical tool. In both her paintings and videos, Joanie uses silliness to confront existential unease, moral tension, and systems of power—especially as they intersect with mental health and consumer culture.
Her work draws on the visual language of cowboy nostalgia, internet memes, and cheap plastic toys found at dollar stores. Influenced by the structure of meme logic, Joanie invites viewers to find meaning in unexpected juxtapositions—where comical and unsettling elements coexist, where mass culture’s cheap thrills reveal deeper violence, and where absurdity feels closer to truth.
Joanie holds a BFA in Painting (2010) and an MFA in Interdisciplinary Art (2015) from Eastern Michigan University. Their work has been exhibited internationally, and they currently teach at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit.
