Advising and Investing in Transformative Leaders
Advising and Investing in Transformative Leaders
Acrylic on linen. 74 x 50 in.
In her new “Flag” series, June Edmonds explores the psychological construct of skin color through primarily brown tones to convey the symbolism of American identity that not only more accurately reflect the broader changes in the racial and ethnic makeup of the country's population but the ideals and promises enshrined in the Constitution.
With thick, shifting brushstrokes in rich earth colors organized into columns of varying widths, the flags are oriented vertically, shifting the flag from a strategically designed symbolic object into a portrait of black and brown embodiment—challenging the misrepresentation, capitalization, subjugation, fetishization, policing, disenfranchising, or invisibility of black and brown bodies. In orienting them vertically, June says her paintings "stand for something" and directly express the degree to which the black body is actually the subject of the project.
Each flag is associated with the narrative of an African American, past or present, a current event, or an anecdote from American history. Color has played an especially important role in the intersection of Edmonds's personal, political, and artistic journeys.
By researching lesser-known Black Americans and incorporating their stories into her work, she has found a way to navigate the complexity of these ideas in painting and create space for these discussions. Her powerful use of color associations can be tied to culturally symbolic imagery, trauma, and emotion, giving color the unique discursive ability to communicate about power and systemic disenfranchisement.
In “Ada and Herman,” June tells the story of her grandparents, who immigrated from Barbados to New York in the early 20th century. Herman, her grandfather, went to Cuba first for work—he was a cooper—and later stowed away on a ship bound for New York. When he arrived, he sent for his wife, Ada. Edmonds is very proud of their story and created this flag for them.
Their hard work, their ocean voyages, and their love for each other are all captured in the colors of this “new American Flag.”