June Leaf – The Work Isn’t Finished

Jem Cohen’s stunning portrait of the tireless and tenacious work ethic of an artist whose career has spanned over seven decades

American artist June Leaf (born 1929) recalls how she first realized her calling at age three, sitting on the floor and wanting to truthfully depict a shoe. Now, at age 95, she remains steadfast in her commitment to her art practice, which she notes she has worked on every day for the past 75 years. As Robert Frank’s partner for over 50 years, Leaf’s own art (which deeply influenced Frank) was often overshadowed, but she remained unconcerned with the vicissitudes of art world fame and fortune.
For this intimate, radiant celebration of June Leaf’s career, photographer and filmmaker Jem Cohen (born 1962) gathered and carefully sequenced images that he shot over several decades—mostly of Leaf and her work in the studio. The book is a tribute forged in details: from Leaf’s small figures breathing mystery and humanity to her well-worn face, a map of persistence and understanding. Cohen’s organic and painterly Polaroids reject the dry factual recordkeeping that often constitutes catalog images of artworks in favor of seeking out the spirit of the works and their maker. A valuable addition to the crucial, overdue recognition of this extraordinary artist’s work, the book is a unique study of artistic creation.