Nick Cave's Practice Highlighted in Collector's Agenda
Nick Cave. Photo by David Johnson. Courtesy Collector’s Agenda
Nick Cave (MFA Fiber 1989), a renowned artist and alumnus of Cranbrook Academy of Art, was recently featured in an article by Collector’s Agenda, offering an in-depth look at his work and creative process.
Cave is known for his multimedia installations and performance art pieces that explore issues of identity, race, and social justice. His work has been exhibited in museums and galleries around the world, and he has received numerous awards and accolades throughout his career.
One of Cave’s Soundsuits was recently acquired by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). His sculpture Soundsuit 8:46, a towering figure made from repurposed materials, was created in response to the 2020 murder of George Floyd. It is the first piece of Cave’s to enter LACMA’s collection, and, according to the museum, it is his first piece acquired by any Los Angeles museum.
A new public mural by Cave and his partner Bob Faust can be viewed on the exterior wall of National Sawdust, a Brooklyn, NY performance space. The installation was featured by Untapped Cities as one of fifteen to see in New York this month. The mural is inspired by an excerpt from the C. P. Cavafy poem “Hidden Things” and was unveiled at a festival dedicated to the poet’s memory called Archive of Desire.
Cave has also created a large-scale installation for the Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport in Kansas. The football-field-sized installation, titled “The Air Up Here,” features thousands of brightly colored shapes suspended from the ceiling of the airport’s atrium to create an immersive experience for travelers.
A screenshot of the conceptual proposal for Nick Cave’s “The Air Up Here” at the new terminal at KCI. Courtesy Municipal Art Commission
Nick Cave with the Soundsuit layered
with doilies, beads and embroidery
that inspired the ‘Doily’ upholstery and a prototype
of the ‘Doily’ fabric for Knoll Textiles.
(Image credit: Lyndon French)
In addition to his recent public installations, Cave has collaborated with Knoll Textiles to create a collection of upholstery fabrics inspired by his signature “Soundsuits,” wearable sculptures that incorporate a range of materials and textures.
Learn more:
In the Studio, Nick Cave, Chicago – Collector’s Agenda
15 Public Art Installations to See in NYC, May 2023 – Untapped Cities
Nick Cave Talks to The New York Times About His Partnership with Knoll Textiles
