Nick Cave (artist) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nick Cave
Born	(1959-02-04) February 4, 1959 (age 67) Fulton, Missouri, US
Education	Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Alma mater	Kansas City Art Institute (BFA) Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Cranbrook Academy of Art (MFA) University of North Texas
Known for	Performance art, sculpture
Notable work	Soundsuit series

Nick Cave, born on February 4, 1959, is a talented American artist. He is a sculptor, painter, dancer, and professor.

He is famous for his Soundsuits. These are amazing wearable sculptures made from fabric and everyday objects. They are bright, fun, and look like something from another world! Nick also trained as a dancer with the famous Alvin Ailey. He often uses dance and performance in his art. Later, his sculptures explored how colors work together. He also created large art installations using different materials.

Today, he lives in Chicago, Illinois. He leads the fashion program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He keeps creating Soundsuits and other art as a sculptor, dancer, and performance artist. His first big museum show, looking back at his career, was in Chicago in 2022. It then traveled to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York from late 2022 to early 2023. He received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from the Rhode Island School of Design in June 2022.

Early Life and Education

Nick Cave grew up in Fulton, Missouri, with his seven brothers. His mother encouraged his interest in fashion from a young age. He often visited his grandparents' farm, helping with crops and chickens. This experience helped him appreciate using everyday and "found" objects in his art.

After elementary school, Nick moved to Columbia, Missouri. He went to West Junior High and graduated from Hickman High School in 1977. An art teacher at Hickman inspired him to attend the Kansas City Art Institute. There, he studied fiber arts and earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1982.

In 1979, Nick met the famous dancer Alvin Ailey. He spent several summers in New York studying at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. After college in 1982, he designed displays for Macy's department store. He also worked as a fashion designer, always keeping his passion for art and dance alive.

In 1988, Nick earned his Master of Fine Arts degree from Cranbrook Academy of Art. He also took some classes at the University of North Texas. After Cranbrook, he began teaching fiber arts at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1989. He also ran his own clothing company in Chicago, designing and selling his fashion line.

Creative Ideas and Process

Growing up, Nick learned to sew because he often had to repair clothes passed down from his older brothers. This skill later helped him create his first Soundsuit. Before this, his art didn't involve people or performance. He said this was a big change that shaped his future work.

His art shows influences from African traditions, armor, special ceremonial clothes, and high fashion. He uses these ideas to share many different messages. Most of his art can be seen from all sides. Sometimes, he creates "bas-relief" pieces, which are sculptures that stick out from a flat surface, almost like paintings. His art helps us think about tough feelings and challenges. He changes how we see things to make us think differently.

Through his performance art, he wants to bring different groups of people together. They can share an experience, and he makes sure everyone knows these are art pieces, not just costumes. Nick sees himself as a messenger, not just an artist. His work often involves big, exciting displays and carries important messages.

For example, his work Augment used over 1,000 inflatable lawn decorations sewn together into five large sculptures. These sculptures were shown in Boston in 2019. Then, on September 14, 2019, the art became part of a parade! Over 75 artists and 500 people joined in. The parade aimed to bring joy and connect different neighborhoods in Boston. Finally, the art flowed out of a special building in Upham's Corner. This building was covered in collages made by local community members.

Nick creates most of his art in a workshop with a team of assistants. He often works with a shop called "Iron and Wire" in Skokie, Illinois, for special parts.

Artworks

The Soundsuits

Soundsuit (2009), Smithsonian American Art Museum

Soundsuit (2010), Renwick Gallery

Soundsuits are amazing costumes that cover the entire body. They are made from many different materials like sisal (a plant fiber), plastic buttons, beads, wire, sequins, and feathers. The Soundsuits cover the person wearing them, so you can't tell their identity. This helps everyone look at the art itself without making quick judgments about the person inside.

By using everyday objects, Nick makes the suits feel familiar. But he arranges these objects in new ways to represent ideas about society and culture. The Soundsuits often explore ideas about identity. Their meaning can change depending on where they are, if they are moving, or if many people are wearing them in a dance. The finished suits look a bit like traditional African ceremonial costumes and masks. They also remind people of carnival costumes and other historical styles.

Nick created his first Soundsuit in 1992. He was reacting to a difficult event happening in the world at that time. He gathered sticks and twigs and made them into a suit. To his surprise, it made sounds when he wore it! Most often, the suits are shown as still sculptures. But you can also see them in live performances, videos, and photography. Nick himself often dances in the suits. This brings them to life as costumes, musical instruments, and living art.

Since 1992, he has made over 500 Soundsuits. Dance and choreography inspire him greatly. The suits combine both arts perfectly. He wants people to see the art itself, not just think about him. With Soundsuits, you don't know who is wearing them, which helps you focus on the art's message.

In 2021, Nick created a permanent art installation for the New York City Subway. It's called Each One, Every One, Equal All. This work includes mosaic murals of Soundsuits and mobiles, plus videos of the suits dancing. You can see it in the Times Square-42nd Street and 42nd Street-Bryant Park subway stations. A critic from The New York Times described the figures as "joyous." He said the art felt like a "necessary correction" in the busy subway. One of his Soundsuits was even chosen by musician Peter Gabriel. It represented his song "Live and Let Live" from his 2023 album, i/o.

HEARD•NY – A Soundsuit Performance

In 2013, Nick worked with dancers from the Alvin Ailey Dance Company. He used to dance with them himself! Together, they created a performance called HEARD•NY. This performance happened in Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal in New York. It's a very busy place! HEARD•NY was more than just a show. It explored ideas about ceremonies, identity, and dreams in city life.

For one week, 30 colorful, life-size horse Soundsuits performed choreographed movements. Live music played along. Each horse suit was made of bright raffia and moved by two dancers. This project was part of celebrations for Grand Central Terminal's 100th birthday. Nick's Soundsuits are truly meant to be seen in motion. One Soundsuit sculpture is part of the Colección SOLO museum in Madrid. It's shown in their permanent collection and was featured in temporary shows like Certeza in 2023.

Mixed Media Art

Beyond his Soundsuits, Nick also creates sculptures and large installations. These often use many different materials, found objects, and bright fabrics. His sculptures often explore important social issues and challenges faced by communities.

One powerful sculpture is TM 13. It was created in response to a significant event in 2013. The sculpture features a hoodie, denim pants, a mannequin, and sneakers. It is covered in a net, making it look like a Soundsuit for a ghost. This piece helps give a voice to those who have experienced unfairness.

Nick's mixed-media sculptures often include parts of black dolls or mannequins. These are placed at the center or top of a piece, like an altar. This way, viewers can think about the history of challenges and how people are sometimes treated unfairly. His 2014 exhibition Rescue looked at ideas of service and the feelings connected to it within the Black community. Many of these works do not make sounds, like his 2016–2017 exhibition Until at MASS MoCa. Nick wants people to feel included in the art and think about what they see.

Teaching Career

Cave preparing young artists for HEARD-NY performance

Nick Cave has taught at many universities across the United States. He started working at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1989. He was a professor in the Department of Fiber and Material Studies and later joined the Department of Fashion. As of 2018, he was the graduate director of the fashion program and chair of the department. He has also been a visiting instructor and artist at places like Beloit College and the University of Arizona.

Exhibitions

Nick Cave has had many solo exhibitions and shows in galleries and museums around the world. His solo shows include New Work (1997) in Kansas City, Missouri; Nick Cave: A Quarter Til Ten (2006-2007) in Pittsburgh; Nick Cave: Meet Me at the Center of the Earth (2009-2012) which started in San Francisco; Until (2016-2021) which started in North Adams; and Nick Cave: Truth Be Told (2020-2021) which started in New York. His first big museum retrospective, Nick Cave: Forothermore, opened in 2022 in Chicago. It later traveled to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York.

He has also been part of many group exhibitions. These include the 51st Venice Biennale (2005) and the NGV Triennial (2017-2018).

Notable Works in Public Collections