New York, NY — For the first time in over thirty years, the art community is focusing on the life and contributions of June Leaf, one of America’s most unique and boldly original artists. From September 3 to December 13, 2025, NYU’s Grey Art Museum will showcase “June Leaf: Shooting from the Heart,” an extensive retrospective celebrating the late artist’s remarkable seven-decade journey.
The exhibition also features rare and previously unseen artworks, many of which have not been displayed since 1991. The collection is thematically organized, exploring motifs that Leaf examined throughout her career—gender, interpersonal connections, metaphysical realms, and the fusion of machinery with humanity.
In partnership with the Addison Gallery of American Art and the Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin College, the exhibition features over 120 pieces, ranging from wire sculptures and kinetic installations to figurative drawings and multimedia paintings. Leaf, who passed away in 2024, created her work in studios located in Lower Manhattan and Nova Scotia, producing profoundly imaginative and metaphysical pieces that intertwine movement, power dynamics, theater, and human emotion.
“This exhibition is a unique opportunity to showcase the inventive creations of a singular artist who maintained several studios in Lower Manhattan for more than five decades,” said Michèle Wong, Interim Director of the Grey Art Museum.
Leaf’s artistry, characterized by The New York Times as “idiosyncratic and intuitive,” frequently reflects the intense emotional and physical dynamics between individuals—particularly couples—depicted in surreal, often mechanical, scenes. A notable work, The Vermeer Box (1966), conjures childhood memories and power struggles through a mixed media piece inspired by arcade games. Two Women on a Jack (2001) showcases her dynamic, feminist take on sculptural storytelling, while pieces like Untitled (Theater) (2010–11) animate her visions with moving components and treadle-driven motion.
Art Chicago. Gift of Allan Frumkin, 1978.42 © Estate of June Leaf. Photo: Museum of Contemporary
Art Chicago / Art Resource, NY
Born in Chicago in 1929, Leaf pursued her studies at the New Bauhaus (now the Institute of Design at Illinois Tech) and first gained recognition with her solo exhibition Street Dreams in 1968. Her artistic journey took her from Paris to Cape Breton, yet New York consistently served as a vital creative hub. Her works are part of esteemed collections, including MoMA, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Whitney Museum, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
In 1958, Leaf received a Fulbright scholarship, followed by a National Endowment for the Arts grant in 1989, and she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters shortly before her passing.
A 208-page companion book, June Leaf: Shooting from the Heart, co-published with Rizzoli Electa, will be available for $60 and includes essays by curators and artists such as Joan Jonas and Kara Walker.
Exhibition Details:
📍 Grey Art Museum, NYU – 18 Cooper Square, New York, NY
📅 September 3 – December 13, 2025
🕒 Tues–Fri: 11am–6pm | Wed: 11am–8pm | Sat: 11am–5pm
🎟 Suggested donation: $$$$ | Free for NYU students, faculty, and staff
🌐 greyartmuseum.nyu.edu
