Edwards is represented in this one man exhibition by a sophisticated and highly urbane selection of sculpture. The overall impression conveyed by the exhibition is most impressive, and this first impression maintains itself upon revisits. In part it is the element of craftsmanship; one could even suppose that in this selection of Edwards’ sculpture, craftsmanship is not only a means, but to a considerable extent, it is the end. Perfection of workmanship and a full understanding of material has been united with the formal content of each work.
If one were, in a good art-historical fashion, to pigeonhole this work it would be tucked into the cubbyhole of assemblage. But it is an approach to assemblage whose kinship lies with the sculpture and collages of the French Cubists (c. 1912–1920) rather than with the contemporary assemblagists. While Edwards uses such now-fashionable elements as machine fragments, one is aware not of the source of the fragment, but the way in which the sculptor has manipulated these elements to make an esthetic statement. Although accident is present in these pieces, it is the quality of order and control which dominates. In such works as “Alternative K” (1964) or “Monochrome” (1964), bits of our machine environment have been used, but they have not been employed to make any exterior comment about our world. Since it is form, almost in a traditional sense which dominates, one comes away with a feeling that these pieces might be even more impressive cast in bronze, for then they would be one step further removed from their original sources.
––David Gebhard
