The scene around Nick Cave’s Soundsuit shoot at the Eastern Market on Saturday. On Saturday, May 2nd, artist Nick Cave and a bustling entourage appeared at the Eastern Market for the last in a series of photo shoots of the artist wearing one of his “Soundsuits.” These shoots were the first phase in a series of activities and community events created to coincide with a massive installation of old and newly commissioned works by Cave at Cranbrook Art Museum—all made possible with funding through the Detroit Knight Arts Challenge.

Cave is assisted in preparation for the shoot. Organized in partnership with Cranbrook’s Curator of Contemporary Art and Design, Laura Mott, the event series is already gaining interest and traction, with a group of everyday market-goers pulling away from the usual run of produce and plant shopping to witness Cave posing in a Soundsuit in front of a stand of live ornamental trees. The piece is one in Cave’s ongoing body of work since the early ’90s that deals with the relationship of black male bodies in the world. The Soundsuits are full of color and motion, and deploy many of nature’s tricks of self-protection—creating intimidating or exaggerated forms, camouflage, or deceptive outcroppings that draw attention away from vulnerable areas.

Nick Cave–blending in, or standing out? Cave was the personable and calm eye in the media storm that surrounded him, proving, perhaps, how effective these suits can be in creating a protective buffer for the wearer. Between shots, he would remove the suit to take pictures with fans, emerging out from under the top half of a Soundsuit that falls somewhere on the continuum between Yao tribal costume and a graceful pile of kindling. For the initiated, there was great excitement to witness some of the artist’s process—for those with no clue about Nick Cave’s work or relationship with Detroit, the event was clearly surprising. A formidable crowd gathered to witness the shoot.[/caption] For Cave’s part, there is a keen desire to involve Detroit and Detroiters organically and deeply with all of the events that will unfold throughout the summer. Not content to merely create installations in the 7,000-square-foot space at Cranbrook for his upcoming “Here Hear” solo exhibition, which will run from June 20 to October 11, Cave has planned a number of community-based events that involve students at the Detroit School of Arts, neighbors from Brightmoor, and attendees of MOCAD dance labs. Make sure you suit up for this historic and far-reaching art happening–the fun is just beginning!