Melvin Edwards
Discs
1960s–Present
Like Melvin Edwards’s Lynch Fragments, his Discs marry the political with the abstract to reflect on his African American heritage. Created largely in Senegal, where the artist has maintained a studio since 2000, the Discs, which are often titled in homage to great African thinkers, leaders, and personal friends, emphasize Edwards’s strong connection to the continent. At the same time, these formally complex works, which often feature tangled amalgamations of agricultural tools juxtaposed with industrial elements, invite viewers to construct their own nuanced narratives around race, labor, violence, and the African diaspora.