Nick Cave was born in Jefferson City, Missouri in 1959. He has worked in various mediums, ranging from sculpture to dance to costume making, to create hybrid creations that are whimsical and dynamic. Growing up, he was the youngest of seven boys in a single-parent family of modest means. His childhood influenced his interest in found objects and assemblage. In his undergraduate years at Kansas State, he first learnt to sew, and graduated with a BFA in 1982. He also studied dance, followed by graduate visual art studies in Missouri and Michigan. Currently, he now heads the department of fashion design at the School of the Art Institute.
I was drawn to the playful nature of his work, and I appreciate how he has chosen to express identity in such a fun and playful way. In 1992, he created his first sound suit as a reaction to the beating of Rodney King. Drawing inspiration from African ceremonial costumes and masks, the suits are made up of found objects, from dyed human hair, to sticks, to sequins and feathers. They are reminiscent of Rococo styling and carnival costumes. One can experience these suits in a static manner, or through live performances and videos.
If Nick Cave was in our class, he would incorporate found objects in his project, and add to the self-portrait, perhaps creating a partial mask or a full mask that can be taken on and off the self portrait. The layer is a mask that draws viewers attention away from
I was drawn to the playful nature of his work, and I appreciate how he has chosen to express identity in such a fun and playful way. In 1992, he created his first sound suit as a reaction to the beating of Rodney King. Drawing inspiration from African ceremonial costumes and masks, the suits are made up of found objects, from dyed human hair, to sticks, to sequins and feathers. They are reminiscent of Rococo styling and carnival costumes. One can experience these suits in a static manner, or through live performances and videos.
If Nick Cave was in our class, he would incorporate found objects in his project, and add to the self-portrait, perhaps creating a partial mask or a full mask that can be taken on and off the self portrait. The layer is a mask that draws viewers attention away from