Alpha & Omega Project for Contemporary Religious Arts Names Artist of Year for 2019: Nick Cave

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By Gregory Disney-Britton

Nick Cave is a Chicago-based performance artist, sculptor, dancer and professor of fashion. (ABC Arts: Teresa Tan)

The Alpha & Omega Project for Contemporary Religious Arts named Chicago-based artist Nick Cave as its artist of the year for 2019, recognizing the impact of his art on religious and spiritual dialogue in America during the past 12-months. Determined by the online votes of supports/followers of Alpha Omega Arts news blog, the nominees are selected based on their national media coverage. Besides Mr. Nick Cave, voters also recognized Saint Louis, MO-based Museum of Contemporary Religious Art for the 2019 exhibition, "MOCRA: 25." The project has been honoring artists and museums annually since 2008.

Artist Nick Cave's inflatable sculpture for his "Augment" project in Boston is on display at the Boston Center for The Arts (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

Nick Cave at “Augment,” Boston Center for the Arts Cyclorama, Aug. 7, 2019. (Greg Cook)

From left: a 2012 Soundsuit made from buttons, wire, bugle beads, wood and upholstery; a 2013 Soundsuit made from mixed media including a vintage bunny, safety-pin craft baskets, hot pads, fabric and metal; a 2009 Soundsuit made from human hair; a 2012 Soundsuit made from mixed media including sock monkeys, sweaters and pipe cleaners. All images © Nick Cave. Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York. Photos by James Prinz Photography

Portrait of Nick Cave in front of his sculpture Crystal Cloudscape at the exhibition Until at Carriageworks, Sydney, Australia, 23 Nov 2018 – 3 Mar 2019 Photo: Daniel Boud