Nick Cave: Forothermore is the first career-spanning retrospective of the internationally renowned Chicagoan Nick Cave (b. 1959, Fulton, MO; lives in Chicago, IL), an artist celebrated for projects that blend community building with vibrant works of art across disciplines, including immersive installations, textural sculptures, impeccably crafted fashion, and dynamic videos and performances. Cave came to prominence as a visual artist almost 20 years ago with his dazzling, sculptural Soundsuits, and works in Chicago as an activist, educator, designer, and performer. Gathering works from across his interdisciplinary practice, Nick Cave: Forothermore is an ode to those who, whether due to racism, homophobia, or other forms of bigotry, live their lives as the “other”—and a celebration of the way art, music, fashion, and performance can help us envision a more just future.

The definitive volume on Cave’s ever-evolving practice, the accompanying catalogue highlights the way Cave’s practice has shifted and continues to shift in response to our history and current moment of cultural crisis. Including several new, never-before-seen works, the book shows an artist at the height of his power. Addressing topics ranging from art history to social justice, Nick Cave: Forothermore includes essays from Naomi Beckwith, Romi Crawford, Antwaun Sargent, Malik Gaines, Krista Thompson and Meida Teresa McNeal. Punctuating these contributions are interviews with the artist exploring his life, work and teaching practice, as well as a roundtable discussion between Cave and dancer Damita Jo Freeman, musician Nona Hendryx and publisher Linda Johnson Rice on Cave’s art and influences, as well as pivotal cultural phenomena from Soul Train to Ebony magazine.

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Nick Cave: Forothermore was presented at the MCA Chicago from May 14 through Octover 2, 2022. The exhibition was curated by Naomi Beckwith, former Manilow Senior Curator, with Jack Schneider, Curatorial Assistant.