Nick Cave: Meet Me at the Center of the Earth

by Nick Cave, Kate Eilertsen, Pam McClusky

Critic Roberta Smith has written about Chicago-based artist Nick Cave, "Whether Nick Cave's efforts qualify as fashion, body art or sculpture, and almost regardless of what you ultimately think of them, they fall squarely under the heading of Must Be Seen to Be Believed..." "Meet Me at the Center of the Earth" features sculptures that Cave calls "Soundsuits," to evoke the sense of movement, rattles and rustles inherent in the design of the pieces-which are composed of manufactured and handmade fabrics, such as beads, sequins, bottle caps, old toys, twigs and hair, and seem poised to explode into ritual dance. Exploring issues of ceremony, ritual, identity and myth, they embrace various traditions, as well as cultural and historical references, from African fetish objects to Japanese Butoh dance.

Genres: Art

240 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2009

Reviews

[Kerfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nick Cave's soundsuits are bombardments of recycled texture, color, pattern, and form. They are both sculpture and costume for choreographed movement. Covering the entire body, they disguise, protect, transform. The ask "Who am I?' and also "Who can I be?" They challenge the way we look at each other and the world.

Look, and look again, and keep looking: too much and never enough.

(Note: This is NOT the equally wonderful Nick Cave who writes and makes music)

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I greatly enjoyed Nick Cave’s exhibit “Meet Me at the Center of the Earth” when it came to SAM, was thrilled that there was a book, and was looking forward to seeing the pieces displayed in all sorts of fun ways like the postcard I had picked up in the gift shop. When I got the book form the library I eagerly flipped through to my favorites- the fun fur soundsuits. Unfortunately the majority were in static poses, and the ones that were photographed while moving were often displayed over two pages and ended up getting swallowed by the crack of the spine. The last section provided some pictures of the suits out in the real world, but they were very pixelated, which I found distracting. The artwork in the first section was new to me and almost moved me to tears, and some of the soundsuits were photographed well, but while I think Nick Cave is fantastic this is not the best way to view his work. If you have the chance, go see it in person.

[UrbanWildflower · Rating 5 out of 5]

His work fascinates me. The artistry, craftsmanship, the narrative focus . . . . all of it.