Nick Cave: Feat

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Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York. Photo by James Prinz Photography.

"Soundsuit," 2016. Mixed media, including a mask with horns, various toys, globes, wire, metal, and mannequin. 84 x 45 x 40 in.

On first look, Nick Cave's works—in sculpture, installation, video, and performance alike—are sensory overload—optically stimulating and bursting with color, texture, and imagination. Step closer though, and the viewer will begin to recognize familiar, more urgent themes of gun violence, race, identity, and social justice. His trademark, human-shaped "soundsuits," for instance, were a direct response of Cave's to the beating of Rodney King by policeman in Los Angeles over 25 years ago. They served as a sort of armor—in all their color, whimsy, and distraction—from dangerous profiling of race, gender, and class.  

In this immersive exhibition, on display at the Mississippi Museum of Art from October 26–February 16, Cave hopes to offer a transformative place that celebrates the hard work that goes into success, where your narrative can be featured, and your dreams can soar. $15; $13 Advance purchase until October 13; $10 for students; Free for members and children younger than five. msmuseumart.org.