Last week I went to the Society for Contemporary Craft in the Strip District of Pittsburgh to see Nick Cave's Soundsuits.I love his work! This was the first I had the seen the Soundsuits. Cave scours thrift stores and the like for patterned, sequined, beaded dresses, skirts, clothing, whatever strikes his fancy and creates magic from these recycled materials.I am drawn to Cave's work for a number of reasons. Primarily because of his history as a dancer with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater so his work always has a theatrical quality which appeals to me. His Soundsuits are intended to be worn and many are used in his performance pieces. The sounds they make are incredible coupled with how the various materials move with the dancer.
Cave's utilization of pattern, color and design is a delight. The way he mixes and matches intense colors and patterns references African textile design merged with a contemporary
fashion design twist. He makes playful reference to kitsch and asks you to question, what is art vs. fashion, what is costume, adornment, the need to decorate ourselves and set ourselves apart and maintain distance from one another.
Just love it!
2 comments:
Wow...what fun art! What an imagination that artist has. I have to wonder how someone comes up with a concept such as this. Amazing. Thanks so much for sharing.
Jamie Fingal
Hi Jamie,
Cave's work is so cool isn't it? If you ever have a chance to see his work, go, go, go. These photos don't begin to do justice to how he uses, color, pattern and textures. SCC did not want me to take any detail photos. Thanks so much for your comments.
Penny
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