Born in Houston, Texas, Edwards began his artistic practice, which is characterized by independence and stringency, in the early 1960s during the American civil rights movement. He is a pioneer in the history of contemporary African-American art and sculpture. His work includes wall objects - the Lynch Fragments - for which he is known, as well as freestanding sculptures and works on paper. In addition to his sculptures, the exhibition at Kunsthalle Bern will focus on his works on paper, which have been less widely presented to date. Created from 1970, these are marked by the use of intense, bright color, while the forms and structures characterizing them sometimes resemble garlands or ornaments. The works are based on the silhouettes of barbed wire, chains, and grids, which he transfers onto the paper using spray paint and watercolor, thus using his sculptural materials as a stencil. The potential of threat and violence is counteracted by the cheerful atmosphere of the painterly compositions.

Edwards' practice reflects his engagement with the history of race, labor and violence as well as issues of the African diaspora, but also his awareness of the questions, practices and forms of modernity. These themes will be discussed and explored in greater depth in the diverse public program accompanying the exhibition.