Last weekend I viewed N
ick Cave‘s SoundSuit at the Baltimore Museum of Art. Lovely suit of crochet flowers,twigs, strands of beads, glass birds and more. Just so amazing! I love the abundance of color and texture!
From his wiki page..
Nick Cave (born 1959 in Fulton, Missouri, USA) is an American fabric sculptor, dancer, and performance artist. He is best known for his Soundsuits: wearable fabric sculptures that are bright, whimsical, and other-worldly. He also trained as a dancer with Alvin Ailey.He resides in Chicago and is director of the graduate fashion program at School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
From the BMA blog
Kristen Hileman, Curator & Dept. Head of Contemporary Art
I wonder what people hear when they see one of Nick Cave’s Soundsuits, like the BMA’s example from 2013. Can a silent piece of visual art really elicit an auditory response? In order for me to imagine what the artist’s suits might sound like, I have to invoke a third sense…that of touch. I think about how it would feel to put a suit on and move around, perhaps even dance the way that the artist himself and others have in Soundsuit performances.
The BMA’s particularly elaborate piece was not created to be worn. The bodysuit of crocheted doilies is stitched on to a mannequin and the stunningly ornate headpiece is too heavy and fragile to allow any mobility if a person could manage to lift it onto his or her head. Nevertheless, if it were possible to dress in this sculpture, the lively rustling of the many beads would proclaim one’s presence. And being suited in such fantastical garb might give the wearer the permission and audacity to say things that he or she might otherwise keep silent. An old-fashioned gramophone speaker seems positioned by the artist for just such a purpose—the annunciation of bold ideas or projecting shouts of joy.