Nick Cave – Soundsuits

The Soundsuits series is Nick Cave's most famous work. Nick Cave produced the first soundsuits after Rodney King, a black man, was beaten by police in 1991. These soundsuits completely covered the human body, disguising the shape, gender, race and class of the wearer, thus forcing the viewer to watch without judgment. Nick Cave is inspired by African artistic traditions, armor, textiles, and stereotypical female objects. For example, a soundsuit made of African braids in the Guggenheim gallery. In addition, globes, cloth dolls, vintage rubber toys, plastic buttons, wires, feathers and sequins are among the materials he uses in his soundsuit. He uses these familiar objects to create an atmosphere where those objects are rearranged in such a way that represent material and social culture. Typically, soundsuits are presented as static sculptures. However, they can also be viewed through live performance, photography and video. Cave devises his own performances. He effectively connects static objects in museum spaces with human movement. Those soundsuits combine sculpture, fashion, and performance to connect the anxieties and divisions of our time with the inwardness of the body. Through his soundsuits, Cave not only reinvents mundane objects into something beautiful but also turns painful experiences into something hopeful. The main purpose is to use art to combat any form of discrimination. They also allow the viewer to notice the art and action of the person in the suit, rather than the social values. —Yao Zhuo