Monday, March 12, 2012

Nick Cave: Yeti Bodysuits at the Cincinnati Art Museum

      The Cincinnati Art Museum is currently focused on Chicago-based artist Nick Cave.  His medium is textiles and the pieces are structured around the body in a variety of shapes and finished with buttons, ribbons and, most spectacularly, hair.  There are elements of fashion, clothing, 
and performance in each sculpture.  One piece resembled a green abominable snowman riding a giant polar bear.  The bear was covered in white sweaters and one prominent label was ‘Land’s End’ – an ironic touch.  There are videos that show people wearing these fabric sculptures, moving and dancing in public celebrations.  We suggest you view the video after seeing the pieces as it allows the imagination to interpret its own movement.  In an inspired move, due to renovations, the exhibit is spread throughout most of the museum.  

The juxtaposition between these cutting-edge, multiethnic, towering sculptures with the primarily two-dimensional pieces from the permanent collection creates an alluring frisson, especially in the Baroque gallery.  There is a playfulness throughout the museum.  In fact, viewers are directed to the next works by green tape on the floor – follow the green tape road!  





The hairy ones are my favorite.  Reminds me of Cousin It!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

reminds me of a hairy dildo

Anonymous said...

Yup, they still look like hairy penises.