500-Pound Bead Installation Represents Cross-Cultural Dialogue Between U.S. and Senegal

Nick Cave Art at the Dakar Embassy

In January 2012, artist Nick Cave was invited to spend a month in Dakar, Senegal, to gain inspiration for a large-scale installation to be installed at the city's U.S. Embassy. This residency, part of the U.S. Department of State Art in Embassies (AIE) program, allowed him to create a stunning installation based on the cross-cultural dialogue he experienced with local artists.

Cave used his time in Senegal's capital to engage with local artists, finding inspiration in these encounters. This would translate to the final piece, a 20-by-25-foot bas-relief weighing approximately 500 pounds. It took Cave three months and the help of 10 assistants to create the piece, which is primarily made from pony beads and pipe cleaners. The artist also incorporated sequins, as well as found objects from the United States and Senegal.

Together, the materials form a vibrant web symbolizing unity. A true cross-cultural work, this piece was created by Cave in his Chicago studio and incorporated work by local Senegalese artists Seni M’Baye, Loman Pawlitschek, and Daouda N’Diaye on-site.

“For me, when, you know, people are experiencing the piece, I have to be open to what they see and how they respond to it and allow that to be another part of this sort of broad dialogue around an emotion,” the artist shares in a 2013 video produced by AIE. “It’s part of this sort of opportunity for people to intersect and have interesting conversation around ideas. It’s part of the magic.”

Cave's piece is just one part of the Department of State's extensive art program, which presents approximately 60 exhibitions per year and has helped create over 70 permanent art collections in over 200 diplomatic facilities in 189 countries.

In 2012, artist Nick Cave was invited to spend a month in Senegal as part of the U.S. Department of State Art in Embassies (AIE) program.

Nick Cave Art at the Dakar Embassy

Nick Cave Art at the Dakar Embassy

The resulting artwork, installed in the U.S. Embassy in Dakar in 2013, weighs approximately 500 pounds.

Nick Cave Art at the Dakar Embassy

Nick Cave Art at the Dakar Embassy

Primarily made from pony beads and pipe cleaners, it was inspired by his encounters with local artists.

Nick Cave Art at the Dakar Embassy

Nick Cave Art at the Dakar Embassy

Nick Cave Art at the Dakar Embassy

Nick Cave Art at the Dakar Embassy

Watch this short film to see how Cave's incredible bas-relief came to life.

Nick Cave: Instagram 

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Jack Shainman Gallery.

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Jessica Stewart

Jessica Stewart is a Staff Editor and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. She earned her MA in Renaissance Studies from University College London and now lives in Rome, Italy. She cultivated expertise in street art which led to the purchase of her photographic archive by the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia in 2014. When she’s not spending time with her three dogs, she also manages the studio of a successful street artist. In 2013, she authored the book "Street Art Stories Roma" and most recently contributed to "Crossroads: A Glimpse Into the Life of Alice Pasquini." You can follow her adventures online at @romephotoblog.
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