Exhibition: Nick Cave

I am a fan. In the 1990s, I read about the first Soundsuits. Cave created them in response to the beating of Rodney King in 1992 and the subsequent acquittal of the four police officers who assaulted him. Nick Cave, a Black man of about the same age as King, and who was also gay–an additional vector which made him a target of police scrutiny–created the iconic sculptural costume that obscured identity and created sound during movement. Since that time, Cave has created many, many more additions to his wearable art series that explores themes of race, gender, and class. I find these pieces inspirational.