6 min read1 Portrait of Nick Cave in front of his sculpture Crystal Cloudscape at the exhibition Until at Carriageworks, Sydney, Australia, 23 Nov 2018 – 3 Mar 2019, photo: Daniel Boud
Introduction
According to 2017 police records, 900 incidents of gun violence have taken place from the start of the year. For many people, this is just news that seems normal and out there. For artist Nick Cave1, it is an issue of deep concern, and the best way to embrace those who go through it every day, especially the families, is art. In his most recent exhibition, Nick has created a multi-part installation that requires moving through the huge hall at MASS MoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts, for the complete picture.
Nick Cave’s ‘Until’
In the installation, Nick puts together different environments that he represents by using colorful tchotchkes, crystals, chandeliers to a garden made from faux with ceramic birds and everything you would expect to find in a garden. For Cave, this setup is like being in the belly of one of his sound-suits. He made the sound suits in 1992 as a response to the public beating that Rodney King of Los Angeles suffered at the hands of the police. He had been using the colorful full-body garments to make a statement against black brutality in the United States, but that does not seem to be enough.
What motivated Cave to create this work?
More than 20 years later, he has seen the level of violence against people of color, and being an artist, decided to confront issues more head-on. Such great sentiment can only be held by someone who has been at the center of the violence, which has been Cave’s life. As a citizen of the United States, his interest lies not in the history that has been recorded so far but on action taken so far to ensure that it never happens again. This is the basis on which Until was created and manifests the urgency with which the situation must be handled. The sheer scale of the project is sensational owing to its magical sight and beauty, yet beneath it is a message that is not as pretty.
Video: Nick Cave speaks about ‘Until’
5 min 6 sec
Conclusion
Through this project, Cave has set the stage for other members of the community and beyond to get involved in this difficult conversation. For him, it is not enough to paint the pictures of the devastation that exists when violence is inflicted; the dialogue is needed in the same way that town hall gatherings are used to address social issues. There are already several collaborators who are using Until to make their contribution to shun violence; books have been published on the issue, and songs sung to bring attention to the rot. Until this state of affairs takes a turn for the better, Cave and all those who believe in his work will not relent.
Exhibition photos
Crystal Cloudscape
2 Nick Cave – Crystal Cloudscape, thousands of crystals, beads, found objects and a few chandeliers, 12m long, 6m wide, with four ladders to view artwork from top level, Carriageworks, Sydney, Australia, 23 Nov 2018 – 3 Mar 2019, photo: Zan Wimberley3 Nick Cave – Crystal Cloudscape, thousands of crystals, beads, found objects and a few chandeliers, 12m long, 6m wide, with four ladders to view artwork from top level, MASS MoCA, 15 Oct 2016 – 4 Sep 2017, photo: James Prinz Photography4 Nick Cave – Crystal Cloudscape, thousands of crystals, beads, found objects and a few chandeliers, 12m long, 6m wide, with four ladders to view artwork from top level, Carriageworks, Sydney, Australia, 23 Nov 2018 – 3 Mar 2019, photo: Daniel Boud5 Nick Cave – Crystal Cloudscape, thousands of crystals, beads, found objects and a few chandeliers, 12m long, 6m wide, with four ladders to view artwork from top level, MASS MoCA, 15 Oct 2016 – 4 Sep 2017, photo: James Prinz Photography6 Nick Cave – Crystal Cloudscape, thousands of crystals, beads, found objects and a few chandeliers, 12m long, 6m wide, with four ladders to view artwork from top level, MASS MoCA, 15 Oct 2016 – 4 Sep 2017, photo: James Prinz Photography7 Top view of Nick Cave – Crystal Cloudscape, thousands of crystals, beads, found objects and a few chandeliers, 12m long, 6m wide, with four ladders to view artwork from top level, Carriageworks, Sydney, Australia, 23 Nov 2018 – 3 Mar 2019, photo: Zan Wimberley8 Top view of Nick Cave – Crystal Cloudscape, thousands of crystals, beads, found objects and a few chandeliers, 12m long, 6m wide, with four ladders to view artwork from top level, MASS MoCA, 15 Oct 2016 – 4 Sep 2017, photo: James Prinz Photography9 Top view of Nick Cave – Crystal Cloudscape, thousands of crystals, beads, found objects and a few chandeliers, 12m long, 6m wide, with four ladders to view artwork from top level, MASS MoCA, 15 Oct 2016 – 4 Sep 2017, photo: James Prinz Photography
Flow/Blow
10 Nick Cave – Flow/Blow, fan propelled wall of shimmering mylar filament, MASS MoCA, 15 Oct 2016 – 4 Sep 2017, photo: James Prinz Photography
Hy-Dyve
11 Nick Cave – Hy-Dyve, 14-channel video installation, Kansas City, photo: Brian Rice
Kinetic Spinner Forest
12 Nick Cave – Kinetic Spinner Forest, 16,000 hanging mobiles made from metallic spinning garden ornaments, MASS MoCA, 15 Oct 2016 – 4 Sep 2017, photo: James Prinz Photography13 Nick Cave – Kinetic Spinner Forest, 16,000 hanging mobiles made from metallic spinning garden ornaments, MASS MoCA, 15 Oct 2016 – 4 Sep 2017, photo: James Prinz Photography14 Nick Cave – Kinetic Spinner Forest, 16,000 hanging mobiles made from metallic spinning garden ornaments, MASS MoCA, 15 Oct 2016 – 4 Sep 2017, photo: James Prinz Photography15 Nick Cave – Kinetic Spinner Forest, 16,000 hanging mobiles made from metallic spinning garden ornaments, MASS MoCA, 15 Oct 2016 – 4 Sep 2017, photo: James Prinz Photography16 Nick Cave – Kinetic Spinner Forest, 16,000 hanging mobiles made from metallic spinning garden ornaments, MASS MoCA, 15 Oct 2016 – 4 Sep 2017, photo: James Prinz Photography17 Nick Cave – Kinetic Spinner Forest, 16,000 hanging mobiles made from metallic spinning garden ornaments, Carriageworks, Sydney, Australia, 23 Nov 2018 – 3 Mar 2019, photo: Zan Wimberley18 Detail of Nick Cave’s – Kinetic Spinner Forest, 16,000 hanging mobiles made from metallic spinning garden ornaments, MASS MoCA, 15 Oct 2016 – 4 Sep 2017, photo: James Prinz Photography19 Detail of Nick Cave’s – Kinetic Spinner Forest, 16,000 hanging mobiles made from metallic spinning garden ornaments, MASS MoCA, 15 Oct 2016 – 4 Sep 2017, photo: James Prinz Photography20 Nick Cave in his Kinetic Spinner Forest, 16,000 hanging mobiles made from metallic spinning garden ornaments, Carriageworks, Sydney, Australia, 23 Nov 2018 – 3 Mar 2019, photo: Daniel Boud
Beaded Cliff Wall
21 Nick Cave – Beaded Cliff Wall, millions of pony beads threaded onto shoelaces by hand, Carriageworks, Sydney, Australia, 23 Nov 2018 – 3 Mar 2019, photo: Daniel Boud22 Nick Cave – Beaded Cliff Wall, millions of pony beads threaded onto shoelaces by hand, MASS MoCA, 15 Oct 2016 – 4 Sep 2017, photo: James Prinz Photography23 Nick Cave – Beaded Cliff Wall, millions of pony beads threaded onto shoelaces by hand, MASS MoCA, 15 Oct 2016 – 4 Sep 2017, photo: James Prinz Photography24 Nick Cave – Beaded Cliff Wall, millions of pony beads threaded onto shoelaces by hand, MASS MoCA, 15 Oct 2016 – 4 Sep 2017, photo: James Prinz Photography25 Nick Cave – Beaded Cliff Wall, millions of pony beads threaded onto shoelaces by hand, MASS MoCA, 15 Oct 2016 – 4 Sep 2017, photo: James Prinz Photography26 Nick Cave in front of his Beaded Cliff Wall, millions of pony beads threaded onto shoelaces by hand, Carriageworks, Sydney, Australia, 23 Nov 2018 – 3 Mar 2019, photo: Zan Wimberley