The Momentary Announces the Opening of Nick Cave: Until

Bentonville, Ark. – The Momentary presents Nick Cave: Until, organized by MASS MoCA, on view September 12, 2020 to January 3, 2021. It is free for all to view, no tickets necessary.

Nick Cave: Until is the largest and most ambitious project yet from the renowned artist. This immersive exhibition is a visual feast for the eyes, spanning over 24,000 square feet of gallery space at the Momentary. But below its surface, Until is a response to the question: Is there racism in heaven?

In 1992 Chicago, Cave reflected on the Rodney King police beatings that took place in Los Angeles. Using found objects such as twigs in the park, he created his very first Soundsuit, a wearable sculpture that defends the body and masks identity. Since then, he has created over 500 Soundsuits. In Nick Cave: Until, Cave places viewers inside the metaphorical belly of one of his Soundsuits.

The title Until references the phrase “innocent until proven guilty,” or, a reversal, “guilty until proven innocent.” According to Cave, Until came about after the Michael Brown incident in Ferguson, Missouri. “I really hadn’t thought about what I was going to do until that incident happened and then, all of a sudden, it became very clear,” said Cave. Within the exhibition, Cave addresses gender, race, and gun violence in America.

“In addition to being an immersive visual art exhibition, Nick Cave: Until is meant to be a place for reflection and introspection on race and gun violence in America,” said Lauren Haynes, director of artist initiatives and curator, contemporary art at Crystal Bridges and the Momentary. “The ideas and topics covered in Until are front of mind for many Black Americans on a day-to-day basis. It’s our hope that with Until, others will spend some time considering these important issues and consider what they can do to help make change.”

Nick Cave: Until is composed of six installations that come together to create an immersive space: Unarmed (2016), a wreath of beaded flowers with a cast bronze and metal hand pointing upward in the center; Flow Blow (2016), a wall of shimmering party streamers that dances by blowing fans, spelling the word “flow”; Hy-Dyve (2016), a 14-channel video installation with sound that repeats images of staring eyes in an eight-minute loop; Beaded Cliff Wall (2016), a netted wall constructed with millions of plastic hair pony beads, shoelaces, and rope; Kinetic Spinner Forest (2016), a collection of 16,000 hanging wind spinners displaying images of bullets, guns, and targets; and Crystal Cloudscape (2016), a massive work of mixed media featuring more than 10 miles of crystals, 24 chandeliers, and a private garden filled with found objects. Visitors can view the Crystal Cloudscape from above by climbing one of the four ladders up to the surface of the work, or observing it in its entirety from the Momentary’s lower mezzanine. For visitor safety, ladders to the Crystal Cloudscape will only allow one person at a time and will be cleaned regularly. Made specifically for the Momentary, the gallery walls adorn new wallpaper designed by Cave and his partner, artist Bob Faust.

“The Momentary is a purveyor of the present, offering an artistic reflection of the current moment. This moment, this remarkable year 2020, is all about change—adapting, listening actively, and learning how an art space can best serve the needs of every community member and visitor,” said Lieven Bertels, director of the Momentary. “It is clear that our work to eradicate racism and injustice requires long-term systemic change. Even as a young institution, we are committed to creating meaningful efforts to change our community. We will continue to offer art as a platform for important and difficult conversations about racism in America and current events. Nick Cave: Until does that beautifully.”

Cave is an artist and dancer known for his unique fabric sculptures and performances. Born in Fulton, Missouri in 1959, he studied fiber arts at the Kansas City Art Institute (BFA, 1982), before going on to receive his MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan (1989). Cave also attended North Texas State University (1984-86) and trained with the renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Today, the artist lives and works in Chicago, where he recently opened a new multi-disciplinary creative space called Facility and serves as the director of the fashion program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Through the decades, Cave addresses issues of racial inequality in the United States through his work. Today, the artist’s works are held in the collections of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Detroit Institute of Arts, and the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, among others.

 

Artist Responses to Nick Cave: Until

Throughout the 16-week duration of the exhibition, the galleries at the Momentary will serve as a studio and stage for a select group of local, regional, and national artists. Working across multiple forms of expression including dance, theater, writing, and fashion, the artists will create their own responses to the questions asked by Cave in the exhibition. Local artists and programs will be announced through the run of the exhibition.

Nick Cave: Until was previously on view at MASS MoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts, Carriageworks in Sydney, Australia, and Tramway in Glasgow, Scotland.

Nick Cave: Until was curated by Denise Markonish, MASS MoCA, and organized for the Momentary by Lauren Haynes. The exhibition was organized by MASS MoCA and co-produced with Carriageworks, Sydney, Australia, and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Principal exhibition support was provided by an anonymous gift. Major exhibition support was provided by the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, the Barr Foundation, the Mass Cultural Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, Jack Shainman Gallery, Marilyn and Larry Fields, BeadKraft, and the Robert Lehman Foundation.

Sponsored at the Momentary by Cox Communications, Goldman Sachs, Airways Freight Corp., Sarah Simmons, Anna and Carl George, Esther Silver-Parker, Visit Bentonville, Greenwood Gearhart, J&D Pallets, Atreides Management, LP, Caryl Stern and Donald LaRosa, Demara Titzer, Tony Waller, and Sue and Charles Redfield.

To learn more about Nick Cave: Until, visit the Momentary website. For news updates, follow the Momentary on the Blog, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Twitter. #NickCaveUntil #theMomentary

 

Hours

Throughout the duration of Nick Cave: Until, the galleries at the Momentary will be open Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (closed Monday).

 

COVID-19 Safety Precautions

Safety is the Momentary’s top priority. The Momentary is operating at a one-third capacity with staff monitoring upon entry and exit to ensure proper distancing is taking place.

As a safety precaution and to comply with the state of Arkansas mandate, the Momentary requires visitors and staff to wear face coverings for ages 10 and older indoors and outdoors. This state order requires every person in Arkansas to wear a face covering of the mouth and nose in all indoor and outdoor environments where there is exposure to non-household members and social distancing cannot be assured. Accordingly, face coverings should be worn on the Momentary Green when close contact with non-household members could occur, including for programs and events, as well as at food and drink venues, except when eating and drinking. Following the most recent recommendations from the CDC, face shields and face coverings with exhaust valves or vents are not allowed. Masks are available upon entry and at outdoor events and venues for those who do not have one.

Additional safety measures include:

• Increased cleaning and sanitation with hand sanitizer stations added throughout the building.
• Doors that can safely remain open will be propped to minimize touch and/or staff will open doors for visitors.
• Signage in place to reinforce social distancing rules and health department advisement’s about COVID-19 symptoms and risks.
• All staff and volunteers undergo temperature checks prior to entering the building.

 

About the Momentary

The Momentary is a new contemporary art space in downtown Bentonville, Arkansas, for visual, performing, and culinary arts. The mission of the Momentary is to champion contemporary art’s role in everyday life and explore the unfolding story of contemporary American arts in an international context by actively commissioning and exhibiting outstanding works that explore new ideas and inspire action. The Momentary was founded by the Walton family, based on the vision of Tom, Olivia, and Steuart Walton. The Walton Family Foundation is supporting this project as a way to enhance the quality of life in Northwest Arkansas. The Momentary is a satellite to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, founded by Alice Walton. The Momentary welcomes all with free general admission. Additional offerings include an artist-in-residence program, culinary experiences including an Onyx Coffee Lab, indoor and outdoor gathering spaces, an outdoor festival space, and a gift store. For more information, visit theMomentary.org. The Momentary is located at 507 SE E Street, Bentonville, Arkansas 72712. The Momentary’s Founding Funders are Walton Family Foundation, Walmart, RØDE Microphones, The Coca-Cola Company, Tyson Family Foundation, and Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation.