June Clark (artist) facts for kids

June Clark (born 1941) is a talented artist who lives in Toronto, Canada. She creates amazing art using photography, sculptures, and collages. She was once known as June Clark-Greenberg.

June was born in Harlem, New York City. She moved to Canada in 1968 and made Toronto her home. Her art often explores who we are and where we come from. She looks at how history, memories, and our own identity shape us and her artwork.

Early Life and Learning

June Clark was born in Harlem, a neighborhood in New York City. She moved to Toronto, Canada, in 1968. This was a time of big changes and protests in the United States. Both New York and Toronto have influenced her art.

When she first moved to Toronto, June felt excited. She said it was "the discovery of the unfamiliar and memory of the known" that sparked her imagination. After moving, she went to York University. She earned her first art degree (BFA) in 1988. Two years later, she got her master's degree (MFA) from the same university. One of her teachers there was Tim Whiten, a famous artist.

June Clark's Artworks

June Clark is well-known for her photo etchings and sculptures. Her art often explores her own life experiences. She looks at themes like Black identity, being away from home, and remembering the past.

In the early 1970s, June started developing her photography skills. She helped start The Women's Photography Co-op at the Baldwin Street Gallery of Photography. Since then, her art has been shown in many cities. These include New York, Paris, Toronto, Montréal, Kyiv, and Quito, Ecuador.

Photo Etchings and Sculptures

June began making large photo etchings in the 1980s. One of her most famous works from this time is Formative Triptych (1989). In these pieces, June uses old family photos and her own pictures. She puts them next to words she remembers from childhood or from books.

June explained why she combines photos and text. She said, "The images have become symbols of the people who have said these things to me."

Another important work is Family Secrets (1992). This series has nineteen black-painted cigar boxes. Each box is filled with small items that remind her of people. June said these items are like a "residue" of the people they bring to mind.

After these works, June continued to create photo and sculpture installations. In 1997, she showed Streetwise and Harlem Quilt at The Studio Museum in Harlem. In 2000, she exhibited Once… After in Toronto.

In 2004, June created Dirge. This mixed-media artwork is a personal way for her to express sadness for her home country. It also shows her feelings about how important values were changing. Dirge is made from rusted metal bits June found on highways. This famous piece shows the American flag as a symbol of society falling apart.

Teaching and Community Work

For over 50 years, June Clark has regularly shown her art. She has also taught art classes at places like York University and the University of Guelph. She has served on important art boards, including the Toronto Arts Council and OCAD University.

June has also been a judge for art awards. She judged for the Toronto Arts Council, the Ontario Arts Council, and The Canada Council for the Arts. In 2007, she was a judge for the Ontario Association of Art Galleries’ awards. Since 2000, June has worked for the City of Toronto government. She helps with cultural affairs in the city.

Art Shows and Exhibitions

June Clark started showing her art in the early 1970s. Her first group shows were in New York and Toronto. These included shows at The James Van DerZee Institute in New York City and Harbourfront Centre in Toronto in 1975. She also showed art at the Oakville Art Gallery in 1979.

In 1974, June had her first two solo shows in Toronto. One was Portraits of Cuba at the Toronto Public Library. The other was My Family at The Baldwin Street Gallery of Photography.

Major Exhibitions

June continued to show her art throughout the 1980s. In the 1990s, her work was part of two big group shows. These were The Creation... Of the African Canadian Odyssey in Toronto in 1992. The other was Just the Facts? Contemporary Documentary Approaches in Ottawa in 1999. This was part of a photo festival in Montréal.

While living in Paris, June's art was also shown in a photo festival there in 1994. She had her first major solo show at a professional gallery, Mnemosyne, in 1990. This is where her Formative Triptych installation was first seen. Four years later, June had another important solo show called Whispering City. This show featured her work from the previous five years.

In the mid-2000s, June participated in two more important group shows. In 2005, her art was in Tribute: The Art of African Canadians. This show was at The Peel Art Gallery and The Art Gallery of Mississauga. In 2006, her artwork Dirge (2004) was part of Fray. This was a show between the Textile Museum of Canada and The Koffler Gallery. Most recently, June's work was shown in 2016. This was for the exhibition Toronto: Tributes + Tributaries, 1971–1989 at the Art Gallery of Ontario.

Awards and Recognition

June Clark has received many honors for her art. Early in her career, she was chosen for The Studio Museum in Harlem Artist-in-Residence program. This was from 1996 to 1997. Before that, she also received The Canada Council Studio in Paris award every year from 1993 to 1996. She has also received many grants from The Ontario Arts Council and Toronto Arts Council.

Art Collections

June Clark's artwork is held in several important art collections:

• Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, ON
• National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, ON
• The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Oshawa, ON
• Galerie du Jour – Agnès b., Paris, France
• Collection of Agnès b., Paris, France