Episode No. 752 of The Modern Art Notes Podcast features artist Melvin Edwards.

Edwards, one of the most important and influential sculptors of his generation, the rare artist whose work simultaneously addressed the past, the present, and the future, died on March 30, 2026. He was 88.

This program was taped in 2015 when the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas opened the major retrospective “Melvin Edwards: Five Decades.” It was the first Edwards museum retrospective in 20 years, and the most thorough. “Five Decades” was organized by Catherine Craft. It included a re-creation of Edwards’ important 1970 installation of barbed-wire sculptures at the Whitney Museum of American Art, dozens of Edwards’ best-known works, his ‘lynch fragments’ series, and more.

The show traveled to the Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers and to the Columbus Museum of Art. The show’s excellent catalogue was published by the Nasher and appears to have sold out. Amazon offers it used for about $100.

The Nasher’s website features a Q&A between Craft and Edwards that host Tyler Green mentions on the program. For images, see Episode No. 170.

Air date: April 2, 2026.