Photo of collection object Soundsuit
Cave, Nick. Soundsuit, 2008. Mixed media, Exhibited ACTUAL dims: 112 x 43 x 35 in. (284.5 x 109.2 x 88.9 cm) figure: estimated dims: 82 × 24 × 24 in. (208.3 × 61 × 61 cm) armature: estimated dims, fully assembled: 60 × 48 × 48 in. (152.4 × 121.9 × 121.9 cm) Mannequin height: 75 in. (190.5 cm) minimum height of cage with top 2 levels of branches removed: 52 in. (132.1 cm) minimum clear. Mary Smith Dorward Fund, 2009.44a-b. © Nick Cave © artist or artist's estate.

Soundsuit

2008

Nick Cave

American, born 1959

Contemporary Art

Since the early 1990s, Nick Cave has been fabricating inventive sculptures out of scavenged materials, which he often overlays with beadwork, stitching, and other embellishments. One of the first, crafted from twigs, was made to be worn and created a rustling sound, which led to the eventual name of such works: Soundsuits. Cave’s sculptures draw from a variety of sources, including both African and Caribbean traditions of masquerade.

In performance, Cave’s work invokes moments of whimsical transcendence while also reflecting a grounded and nuanced understanding of the racialized nature of American society. Cave designed his first Soundsuit in response to the brutal police beating of Rodney King in Los Angeles in 1991. Overcoming the distinctions between “fine art” and “craft,” as well as “performance” and “street” art, Cave’s Soundsuits also serve as a sort of armor, protecting against the violence of racial stereotypes and giving their wearers an outsize, fanciful, and transcendent presence.
Maker/Artist
Cave, Nick
Classification
Sculpture
Formatted Medium
Mixed media
Medium
mixed, media
Dimensions
Exhibited ACTUAL dims: 112 x 43 x 35 in. (284.5 x 109.2 x 88.9 cm) figure: estimated dims: 82 × 24 × 24 in. (208.3 × 61 × 61 cm) armature: estimated dims, fully assembled: 60 × 48 × 48 in. (152.4 × 121.9 × 121.9 cm) Mannequin height: 75 in. (190.5 cm) minimum height of cage with top 2 levels of branches removed: 52 in. (132.1 cm) minimum clear
Departments
Contemporary Art
Accession Number
2009.44a-b
Credit Line
Mary Smith Dorward Fund
Rights Statement
© artist or artist's estate
Dominant Colors

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