1959–Present
Works in the Collection
Biography
June Edmonds was born in 1959 in Los Angeles, where she lives and works. Edmonds received her MFA from Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, and a bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University. She also attended the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture.
Edmonds is known for captivating abstract paintings that pay homage to Black American figures and historical events. In 2017, the artist embarked on her ongoing series of “Flag Paintings,” exploring the ways color and pattern can deconstruct notions of race, nationality, and gender. In the series, Edmonds imagines new flags that each stand for people and stories excluded from American history. The work mimics the design of the American flag with thick vertical lines of acrylic paint in shades that reference black and brown skin tones. Edmonds’ work has been exhibited at the California African American Museum, the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, and Watts Towers Arts Center in Los Angeles, and the artist has created several notable public artworks in her hometown of L.A., including a 40-foot gate at the Los Angeles Conservation Corporation. In 2020, Edmonds was awarded the inaugural AWARE Prize at The Armory Show.