FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Cindy Mackey, cmackey@chrysler.org, 757-754-4553
CHRYSLER MUSEUM OF ART ADDS NICK CAVE SOUNDSUIT TO COLLECTION
NORFOLK, Va. – (September 2012) – The Chrysler Museum of Art has added a
whimsical toy-themed Soundsuit by Nick Cave to its collection. Cave was one of the
contemporary artists featured in the Museum’s recent exhibition 30 Americans. Cave’s
four mesmerizing soundsuits were among the public’s favorite works in the show,
popular for their curious combination of movement and masquerade.
The Chrysler’s new sculpture is one of eight that Cave has fabricated from used toys. Its
horns, jack-in-the-boxes, and noisemakers evoke sound, color, action, and childlike joy.
The knit fabrics and hand-crocheted details on the mannequin form are typical of his
hallmark attention to detail and skilled needlework.
“With their strong visual appeal, his soundsuits are created from a wealth of diverse
materials, from twigs, sequins and buttons to toys, metal birds and flowers,” said Amy
Brandt, Ph.D., the Chrysler’s McKinnon Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art. “The
artist scavenges his materials from many sources, including flea markets, fabric shops
and antique stores. After collecting the items, he sets to work creating sculptures that
manage to unite art, craft, and fashion.”
Cave made his first signature soundsuit in 1991 as the Rodney King riots raged in Los
Angeles. His suits, he said, suggested a place of escape and safety, free from the
discrimination that many minorities feel. His race- and gender-blurring creations meld
visual and performing arts. The soundsuits tap into Cave’s training with the Alvin Ailey
American Dance Theatre, integrating motion and sound with dazzling patterns, palettes,
and pageantry.
The Chrysler was able to purchase this soundsuit thanks to a generous donation from
the Museum’s Friends of African-American Art. The group’s members have championed
the work of contemporary black artists for years, and served as advisors for 30
Americans. The acquisition demonstrates the Chrysler’s ongoing commitment not only
to contemporary art, but to adding collection works that represent the African-American
community. The new addition is on view in Remix Redux, which is on view through
December 30.
The Museum is located at 245 West Olney Road in Norfolk, and the Chrysler Museum
Glass Studio is located across the street. Both are open Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.;
Thursdays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sundays, noon-5 p.m. The Chrysler and the
Glass Studio are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, as well as major holidays.
Admission to the Museum’s collection and Studio’s glassblowing demonstrations are
free. For exhibitions, programming and special events, visit chrysler.org or call 757-6646200.
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Photo Caption:
Nick Cave (American, b. 1959)
Soundsuit, 2010
Mixed media, 107 x 42 x 42 inches
Museum purchase with funds donated by the Friends of African-American Art, and
Walter P. Chrysler, Jr. by exchange
Photo courtesy of the Jack Shainman Gallery, New York