The spirograph galaxy of Rhythmic Inquisitions, an exhibition of works by June Edmonds at the Riverside Art Museum, unmercifully hypnotizes.  Expanding boundaries, this 2022 Guggenheim Fellowship Recipient injects Aretha Franklin’s Respect (1967) into Abstract Expressionism. The guest curator, Lisa Henry, envisioned acknowledging Edmonds as being “part of the tradition of Black abstraction.” Representative of Edmonds’ four phases, these works include late 1990s black and white drawings, smaller mixed media expressions, her signature Energy Wheel paintings and large-scale interpretations on canvas.

Standing on the shoulders of Beauford Delaney, Norman Lewis and Alma Thomas with unwavering intentionality, Edmonds swirls analogous hues and complementary compositions in the Untitled work that is representative of her visceral color wheel paintings; these psychedelic rainbow rays appear as if clocking forward and backwards simultaneously.   The chromaticity demonstrated correlates with the “School of AFRICOBRA” (African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists) whose philosophy of artmaking testified to the preeminence of Cool Ade Colors–brightness, intensity, harmony–as well as clothing worn by Black people throughout the diaspora.  In fact, such diverse application of paint implicitly interrogates the marginalizing tendencies   of the canon with its near-sighted gatekeepers who have traditionally excluded women–especially those of color.

June Edmonds, “Know Thyself (Slippin’),” 2015.

In Know Thyself-Slippin (2015), purple oil paint strokes drip like grape taffy tidal waves.  I can almost see Jackson Pollock stepping back with his head swiveling with envy checking this out!  Moreover, the repetitive meticulous violet tints are reminiscent of Lunar Surface (1970) by Alma Thomas. A second reading kidnaps the eyes on an upward curve as if surfing on a plum colored roller-coaster.

Finally, there is Only a Gardener (2021) with its earthtones and complementary curves ascending and extending an invitation to taste with eyes and hear with soul. Coinciding with the title are suggestive half shapes of seed and leaf implying life, growth and maturity that is a long time coming like Sam Cooke’s A Change is Gonna Come (1964).

Ultimately, Rhythmic Inquisitions inspires the courage of spiritual investigation inwardly; it encourages healing of life -soil where unprocessed memories traumatize, and unquestioned paradigms divide.

Rhythmic Inquisitions
Riverside Art Museum
August 27 to November 27, 2022
3425 Mission Inn Avenue
Riverside, CA 92501