Installation photography of Nick Cave: Mammoth, Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2026, ©Nick Cave; Photos by RON BLUNT STUDIO
A collection of faux fruits, bejeweled vegetables, wooden canes, glass fish, toy trucks, leather slippers, and much more covers an illuminated table spanning the length of a gallery at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Looking haphazardly spread across the surface, appearances can be deceiving. The objects are arranged with purpose; the assemblage is one part of Mammoth, an immersive solo exhibition by artist Nick Cave. Known for his sculptural Soundsuits, this show contains his signature attention to detail that’s present in his wearable art.
Cave’s collection is a beacon within the scope of the show and offers a “deep dive” into his history growing up in Missouri. For anyone fascinated by visual culture and what everyday objects can say about ourselves and society at large, the splendor requires multiple ways of seeing. As a whole, it communicates collective memory and objects as a vessel for it. Individually, each element holds a different meaning tied to Cave.
“I come from a family of makers, musicians, poets, singers, craftsmen, woodworkers, quilters,” he tells The New York Times, “and that was something that I wanted to focus on.” Memories of being on his grandparents’ farm and the crafts prized by his sisters and nieces informed the horde on the 70-foot-long table. As viewers, we likely don’t have the same attachment to the ordinary objects, but they challenge us to consider what matters to us and to reflect on that greater meaning.
While “Mammoth” could mean “quantity,” the show also takes a literal interpretation of the word. Cave constructed the creature’s hides and bones, and there is a video projection in which the animals come to life. Death, resurrection, and considerations of how to carry on are the exhibition's conceptual tent poles. Yes, the long-dead mammoth walks again, trudging forward into a new world. We must do the same, while holding all parts of us together—both the past and present—and consider how those things inform one another for the future. At a time when things feel bleak and humanity is on the brink, how can we both mourn and move forward with hope and possibility?
Like great art, Cave and Mammoth don’t have the answers, but provide a space for it to happen. The show is now on view until January 3, 2027.
A collection of faux fruits, bejeweled vegetables, wooden canes, glass fish, toy trucks, leather slippers, and much more covers an illuminated table spanning the length of a gallery at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Installation photography of Nick Cave: Mammoth, Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2026, ©Nick Cave; Photos by RON BLUNT STUDIO
The objects are arranged with purpose; the assemblage is one part of Mammoth, an immersive solo exhibition by artist Nick Cave.
Installation photography of Nick Cave: Mammoth, Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2026, ©Nick Cave; Photos by RON BLUNT STUDIO
Installation photography of Nick Cave: Mammoth, Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2026, ©Nick Cave; Photos by RON BLUNT STUDIO
Cave’s collection is a beacon within the scope of the show and offers a “deep dive” into his history growing up in Missouri.
Installation photography of Nick Cave: Mammoth, Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2026, ©Nick Cave; Photos by RON BLUNT STUDIO
“I come from a family of makers, musicians, poets, singers, craftsmen, woodworkers, quilters, and that was something that I wanted to focus on.”
Installation photography of Nick Cave: Mammoth, Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2026, ©Nick Cave; Photos by RON BLUNT STUDIO
Installation photography of Nick Cave: Mammoth, Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2026, ©Nick Cave; Photos by RON BLUNT STUDIO
The show is now on view until January 3, 2027.
Installation photography of Nick Cave: Mammoth, Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2026, ©Nick Cave; Photos by RON BLUNT STUDIO
Installation photography of Nick Cave: Mammoth, Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2026, ©Nick Cave; Photos by RON BLUNT STUDIO
View this post on Instagram
