Nick Cave

An artist addressing identity, movement, and materiality

after my session with Julian, I started researching the artist Nick Cave- he caught my attention because he has a permanent piece in the North Carolina Museum of Art.

I particularly liked this interview (linked below) with him because he talks about how he sources materials and let’s them influence his work in a very natural way. He might not know what the end outcome will be as he gathers materials, but he collects the things that capture his attention.

He also talks about how he loves to create pieces that mask the gender, race, sex, and sexuality. His first piece was inspired by the Rodney King incident in 1991, and issues of violence against people of color seems to have had a massive impact on Cave throughout his career. His, “soundsuits” illustrate his desire to create a sense of equality among people.

https://channel.louisiana.dk/video/nick-cave-world-my-skin

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His works are also a call to action. In many of his pieces, the heads look like brass instruments which have been covered up in a rather chilling way. He calls his viewers to speak up against injustice, while simultaneously illustrating the struggle to do so.

Cave is truly a material expert and his work shows such emotional intensity. He even understands movement and performance art in such a different way-where it’s morenabout the freedom and liberty to move and create without having so many labels. Caves work is so inspiring.