June Leaf, an influential artist known for her unclassifiable works exploring the human body and figuration, passed away at 94 in New York after battling gastric cancer. Her diverse oeuvre included surreal monuments, mechanized sculptures, and evocative self-portraits, always focusing on the human figure despite prevailing trends toward abstraction. Critics like Barry Schwabsky praised her unique vision, comparing her to Giacometti and Picasso.
Leaf's interactive sculptures, often involving viewer engagement, aimed to "make people, from the inside out." Her fascination with the human form was influenced by her background as a dancer. Born in 1929 in Chicago, she studied under László Moholy-Nagy at the Institute of Design before moving to Paris in 1948, where her experimental work gained acclaim. After completing her MA and receiving a Fulbright grant in 1958, she studied at the Louvre.
In 1965, Leaf created her first sculpture, marking her shift to three-dimensional art. She married photographer Robert Frank in 1971, and they moved to Nova Scotia. Despite limited widespread recognition, with exceptions like a 2016 Whitney Museum survey, Leaf's work remains a testament to the power of figuration and artistic innovation. Her passing marks the end of a prolific career, leaving a lasting legacy in the art world.
Selena Mattei