Introduction
Nick Cave is a gay African American fiber sculptor, dancer, and performer who has been creating costumes, referred to as soundsuits. These have been brought to life through performance since 1994. The soundsuits he creates acknowledge multidimensions of sensory input by stimulating the viewers’s vision and hearing through movement and texture. Creating various soundsuits provokes the birth of identities in a new and undefined culture. Through masks that disguise identity, the viewer questions the value of originality among a society filled with various cultures and stereotypes. His intentional use of materials and awareness of sensory emersion successfully aid in adjusting the viewer and figures consciousness as they contribute to community that fosters collaboration and embraces individuality.
Description
Through Cave’s process, he ensures that each soundsuit reflects individuality while contributing holistically to reinvent society. When Cave completes each soundsuit, they each have the same name, “soundsuit”, resembling unity, yet they visually function as separate identities. Although each soundsuit is unique through the material, texture, or color used, thematically, each suit’s repetition creates a collection of works functioning as one community. Cave states the vision for each costume comes from his interaction with the object that inspires it. Many of the objects Cave selects for his costumes are found at the thrift shops he frequents. He claims that the objects pulse with energy which parallel the performances done wearing the completed costumes (Louisiana Channel, 2013).
Each soundsuit obscures the human body and hides the figures face to mask their identity. Although the soundsuit is made with the intention of being worn like a second skin, the structure of the costume separates physical human features from the costume. This redefinition of the human figure through masking and manipulating the genuine physicality of human anatomy sparks the experiment of redefining one’s self.
Interpretation
By analyzing Cave’s own identity it becomes evident that multiple authentic personalities emerge when the human unifies with the costume. The masking that occurs in Cave’s costumes derives from his roots of African American culture where one can release from cultural conformity to embrace individuality (Mecer et al., 2012). By defacing the figure, the identity of the human in the costume becomes free of social conformity in relation to race, gender, and social class. For example, when one wears the soundsuit composed of fur covered with various brightly colored circle patches the skin becomes hidden and wearer’s human anatomy becomes unrecognizable. The viewer can no longer identify the race, gender, or social class of the figure inside the soundsuit. Putting on the costume encourages an interaction of personalities between the soundsuit and the human inhabiting it.
Cave has undergone the process of reinventing his own identity growing up with seven brothers by altering the old clothes of his older siblings. At a young age, Cave reinvented the outer skin that aided in defining himself. Cave’s first soundsuit was inspired by repurposing twigs he saw at a park (Mecer et al., 2012). These twigs form a new identity when collectively sculpted and come to life when each twig kinetically interacts with one another. He redefines and repurposes objects and materials, similarly to his process as a child, in order to break the boundaries of traditional media in art. Cave’s discussion about his work reflect his concept of individuality. Many of his works do not fit into a single category, such as art, dance, fashion, or performance (PBS NewsHour, 2012). Cave’s expression of uniqueness through various creative platforms informs the viewer of Cave’s prominent theme: individuality.
Judgment
Cave’s applied use of various materials and performance extraordinarily reconceptualize reality for the figure and viewer. Through understanding Cave’s selection process of materials, one may note that the objects he repurposes from the thrift stores were priorly associated with one identity to become a part of a larger identity, the soundsuit. In viewing Cave’s soundsuit that is embellished with various colorful toy tops, it becomes evident that these cultural objects cross geographic bounds and migrate to new locations. In a portion of Cave’s collection of soundsuits, he pieces together various cultural materials to create a new homogeneous cultural. His cultural commentary aids in the viewer’s perception of the influence cultural norms have when casting judgements. Disassociating these objects from their prior culture to form a new culture remarkably embraces the theme of individuality.
The performances done by those in the soundsuits expose an inner truth for the viewer and figure. Cave states that he wants viewers to “leave with a different sense of consciousness and have people see what surround them in life differently” (Louisiana Channel, 2013). By confronting unfamiliar animated figures that have no known background, the viewer is able to confront a society without historical or evolutional differences that otherwise may have motivated members to act differently. This allows the audience to dream about a fantasy where their true self may be expressed. Cave’s intent for the viewer to leave with a different sense of consciousness is clearly communicated because the viewer is able to delve into the subconscious of the transformed figure. Cave’s ability to divest the ideas embedded in society showcase his wisdom as an artist.
Theory
Cave’s collection of soundsuits support the benefits of collaborative learning in schools and regional community projects. In high schools on the south side of Chicago, Cave provides students with soundsuits and aids in the process of creating appropriate choreography for the figures (PBS NewsHour, 2012). When Cave visits these schools and embodies the theme of his work he communicates a need for collaborative learning where each other’s differences are respected and positively contribute to the whole group. These collaborative projects may expand outside of the school as community projects to strengthen an understanding of differences within a small region. This acts as a method for reducing judgment when exploring differences outside of one’s own community.
Kathy Hubbard conducted a collaborative mural project with high school and university students from Georgia and people in Oaxaca, Mexico. As a result of the cross-cultural collaborative project, “Ideas for revision were brought forward by both groups of students for improving the work” (Hubbard, 2010). Hubbard proves that various cultures provide new and beneficial insight that may go unnoticed by other cultures. Cave’s soundsuits parallel this concept by embracing the individual qualities of each person as they contribute uniquely and importantly to society. In an art classroom, another group may be requested to visit and collaboratively work on a project so that students can understand the value of individuality. In this way, both groups become more humane and gain respect for themselves and others. An additional result of the process is that students may reconstruct their identity by absorbing other qualities they connect with from various cultures and groups. In the same way, an interaction of identities occurs when wearing a soundsuit. Holistically, soundsuits encourage collaborative learning in schools and regional community projects for empathic development.
Conclusion
Nick Cave’s conscious use of materials and multimedia performances reshape the consciousness of both the viewer and figure. His collection of soundsuits successfully embrace humans individual qualities by expressing their positive contribution to nonfictional and fantasy cultures. By working on collaborative projects in classrooms inspired by Nick Cave, students can become more humane and gain appreciation for each other’s individuality. Cave’s multidimensional performances will continue to challenge viewers’ and figures’ understanding of their authentic identity, its role, and its value in a society flooded with stereotypes and cultural conformity.
References
Channel, L. (2013, April 16). Nick Cave Interview: The World is My Skin. Retrieved March 03, 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dzyik8Ak_w
Hubbard, K. (2010). A Cross-Cultural Collaboration: Using Visual Culture for the Creation of a Socially Relevant Mural in Mexico. Art Education, 63(5), 68-75. Retrieved from http://www.ulib.niu.edu:2525/stable/20799840
Mercer, V., Beauchamp-Byrd, M., Wilkinson, M., James, S., Sojka, N., & Martin, C. (2012). Diversity of Contemporary African American Art. Bulletin of the Detroit Institute of Arts, 86(1/4), 88-123. Retrieved from http://www.ulib.niu.edu:2525/stable/43492327
NewsHour, P. (2012, April 24). Nick Cave Brings Art, Sculpture to Life with ‘Soundsuits’.Retrieved March 03, 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEJ3eKSlm04
[Nick Cave's Soundsuits: Four Figures Wearing Various Textiles]. (n.d.). Retrieved March 3, 2019, from https://d5wt70d4gnm1t.cloudfront.net/media/a-s/articles/2362-920245258641/4-reasons-to-collect-nick-caves-soundsuit-photographs-900x450-c.jpg