Nick Caves and his bodies

Nick Caves holds a mirror to the public with his new exhibit, Amalgams and Graphts, at the Jack Shainman Gallery. His work as an artist and performer reflects his experiences as a gay black man; this specific collection suggests the duality of systemic racism and violence with resilience and strength. The Amalgam aspect of the collection consists of three bronze statues (one located at another gallery nearby), which branch off from his well-known Soundsuits. The Amalgams portray and create a mixture of the relationship between the harsh reality of racialized violence and police brutality against Black bodies and the breath and growth from the incorporation of nature. Following the Amalgams are seven Graphts representing the systemic issues regarding race, class, and power and how they have infiltrated our society, encouraging the audience to reflect on their role and placement in our society.

Stepping into a room lined with marble columns and large windows that draw your eye up to the vaulted ceiling, the 26-foot-tall Amalgam (Origin) stands in front of you; it brings a sense of weight, grounding the audience while simultaneously evoking a feeling of spiritual lightness. Stoic birds perched on thick branches spew out of the top of the sculpture where we would typically find a head; this leans on the concept of mental strength. The second figure, Amalgam (Plot), displays two bodies, one lying face down with his hands situated on the back of his head and another lying on his side with a garden of flowers emerging from what would be his face. The third, A·mal·gam, depicts a body placed in a chair with sparse and fragile branches emerging from what would be its head. 

All three bodies of the Amalgams are covered in foliage, bringing a sense of softness and life to the bodies. However, comparing the three sculptures, the Amalgam (Plot) is the only piece that incorporates color and mass amounts of flowers into the garden emerging from his head. The duality of the harshness of the bronze compared to the lush and softness that come from the representation of nature in every Amalgam brings the 

As you move around the room, the walls lined with Graphts encapsulate the duality between race, class, and power within our society. He plays with multiple mediums, combining needlepoint to draw out the presence of the upper class and their so-called meaningless hobbies, paired with quilted fabrics, representing Black culture and the need for quilts that turned creative. Placed in and around the fabrics are serving trays, encompassing historical hierarchies through servitude; the presence of serving trays also alludes to the phrase "to serve" which directly relates to Black ballroom culture. This phrase validates that one is breaking out of the norm and conformity with confidence and attitude. Nestled in behind the conglomeration of fabrics and strays are paintings of Caves; this is one of the first times he has directly included the depiction of his physical being in his work.

Throughout Nick Cave's work, he uses the duality between the harsh strength from the bronze bodies and the breath of life from the flowers and bright colors strives to create art that initiates vulnerable conversation with the audience, creating an outlet that uncovers experiences that resonate with the individual and society.

February 2025