Veryan Edwards (b. 1949, Hong Kong) is a pivotal figure in the development of contemporary art in Botswana, recognized both for her artistic practice and her foundational work as an arts organizer. Based in Gaborone, she holds a Master’s Degree in Fine Art from Rhodes University, South Africa, and has exhibited her own work extensively across Africa, the USA, and Europe since 1979, including numerous Triangle Network workshops.
A visionary organizer, Edwards initiated and coordinated the first international artists' workshop in Botswana in 1989, based on the Triangle model from New York. Her efforts were instrumental in creating a vibrant, international artistic dialogue within the country. In 1995, she initiated the idea for a visual arts centre in Gaborone, which led to the establishment of the highly influential Thapong Visual Art Centre in 1999. Edwards served as its founding Director and as Chairperson of its Trust until 2003.
Edwards' own artwork spans various genres and mediums, from abstract to semi-figurative. She describes her practice as a continual investigation of reality, informed by her readings in lay-person's quantum physics, spiritual texts, and the vast beauty of the Kalahari. Her work often features an ambiguity of space, inviting viewers to bring their own perceptions to complete the meaning.
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Veryan Edwards (b. 1949, Hong Kong) is a pivotal figure in the development of contemporary art in Botswana, recognized both for her artistic practice and her foundational work as an arts organizer. Based in Gaborone, she holds a Master’s Degree in Fine Art from Rhodes University, South Africa, and has exhibited her own work extensively across Africa, the USA, and Europe since 1979, including numerous Triangle Network workshops.
A visionary organizer, Edwards initiated and coordinated the first international artists' workshop in Botswana in 1989, based on the Triangle model from New York. Her efforts were instrumental in creating a vibrant, international artistic dialogue within the country. In 1995, she initiated the idea for a visual arts centre in Gaborone, which led to the establishment of the highly influential Thapong Visual Art Centre in 1999. Edwards served as its founding Director and as Chairperson of its Trust until 2003.
Edwards' own artwork spans various genres and mediums, from abstract to semi-figurative. She describes her practice as a continual investigation of reality, informed by her readings in lay-person's quantum physics, spiritual texts, and the vast beauty of the Kalahari. Her work often features an ambiguity of space, inviting viewers to bring their own perceptions to complete the meaning.
