June Edmonds: The Sky Remains the Same

The ebe-amẹn, depicted as a stylized quatrefoil form, features prominently in metallic plaques from the Kingdom of Benin, where it was associated with the power and protection of kings and deities. Often, the river leaf was impressed in the background of figurative reliefs depicting deities, civil leaders, and warriors. In the paintings on view, Edmonds brings this form to the foreground, using it to anchor her compositions. While the quatrefoil is present in every painting, it is obscured to varying degrees across the works on view. In a selection of works, Edmonds increases the scale of the geometric form so only the central circle and the beginnings of the leaves are visible. While in others, only individual leaves of multiple quatrefoils are visible, nearly converging. In Still Point (2025), Edmonds uses color blocking to invoke a similar form across parallel leaves. Through shifting perspectives, Edmonds offers reminders that, even as one weathers new challenges and endures uncertain times that test their resolve, there is always an inner strength to tap into to remain grounded.

Across the paintings on view, Edmonds invokes the breadth of her vibrant, emotionally charged palette. She explores the tonality of color through her signature use of impasto, creating repeating patterns in hue and texture that infuse the paintings with a sense of movement. In Gathering All the Things (2025), an expansive diptych, Edmonds employs this technique to create concentric circles in shades of maroon and magenta that form a dynamic background for colorful river leaves. The compounding geometric forms invoke meditative serenity, offering viewers a space to engage the inner peace and strength that the river leaf represents.

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