GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Sept. 17, 2025 — Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park will unveil a new, monumental sculpture Oct. 3 by internationally celebrated artist Nick Cave in its permanent collection – Amalgam (Origin).
Sited along the North Path near The Richard & Helen DeVos Japanese Garden and Michigan’s Farm Garden, this work will expand and diversify Meijer Gardens’ permanent collection of more than 300 international sculptures, also distinguishing it as the home of the artist’s first public outdoor sculpture.
“Nick Cave’s Amalgam (Origin) marks a true return to his artistic origins,” said Suzanne Ramljak, Vice President of Collections & Curatorial Affairs. “The sculpture’s branching crown and wooded site harken back to his very first Soundsuit, made of discarded twigs, while recalling the primal sustenance of nature itself.”
Amalgam (Origin) is an evolution, on a colossal scale of 26 feet tall, of Nick Cave’s iconic Soundsuits—spectacular forms blending fashion and sculpture that were created in response to the brutal beating of Rodney King by police in 1991. Though they originated as a form of protection, the Soundsuits have since developed into vehicles for empowerment, with Cave having made hundreds in varying shapes and materials, all based on the scale of his own body. Serving as physical camouflage, the elaborate sculpted surfaces create a second skin that conceals race, gender and class, forcing viewers to look without judgment.
Cave’s work draws from craft traditions, fashion, vintage textiles and other labor-intensive practices to create surfaces that are visually ornate and historically specific. In Amalgam (Origin), the collage-like element of his aesthetic is expressed by the highly textured and detailed bronze casting. In contrast to Cave’s earlier seated bronze, A•mal•gam, the monumental and towering Amalgam (Origin) appears firmly rooted in the earth, as if growing directly out of the soil. Like a community beacon, the sculpture celebrates each person’s unique individuality while connecting it to humanity’s shared grounding in the natural world.
“I am thrilled that Amalgam (Origin) has a permanent home at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park,” said Cave. “It was developed specifically to be placed outdoors, and I can’t imagine a better home than at Meijer Gardens. Having done my graduate studies at Cranbrook Academy of Art, I also love the full-circle moment of my first major outdoor sculpture being in Michigan. I hope to see real birds nesting in the bronze branches when we visit next spring.”
Amalgam (Origin) arrives from a recent exhibition with two of Cave’s other new works at Jack Shainman Gallery in Tribeca in New York City, where it was exhibited as part of a series of three large bronze sculptures titled Amalgams.
The acquisition of Amalgam (Origin) is made possible by the generosity of Fred and Lena Meijer and the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Foundation.
For more information about the permanent sculpture collection at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, visit MeijerGardens.org/sculpture
About Nick Cave:
Nick Cave (b. 1959, Fulton, MO; lives and works in Chicago, IL) is an artist, educator and foremost a messenger, working between the visual and performing arts through a wide range of mediums including sculpture, installation, video, sound and performance. Cave is well known for his Soundsuits, sculptural forms based on the scale of his body, initially created in direct response to the police beating of Rodney King in 1991. Soundsuits camouflage the body, masking and creating a second skin that conceals race, gender and class, forcing the viewer to look without judgment. They serve as a visual embodiment of social justice that represents both brutality and empowerment.
Throughout his practice, Cave has created spaces of memorial through combining found historical objects with contemporary dialogues on gun violence and death, underscoring the anxiety of severe trauma brought on by catastrophic loss. The figure remains central as Cave casts his own body in bronze, an extension of the performative work so critical to his oeuvre. Cave reminds us, however, that while there may be despair, there remains space for hope and renewal. From fragmented body parts stem delicate metal flowers, affirming the potential of new growth. Cave encourages a profound and compassionate analysis of violence and its effects as the path towards an ultimate metamorphosis. While Cave’s works are rooted in our current societal moment, when progress on issues of global warming, racism and gun violence (both at the hands of citizens and law enforcement) seem maddeningly stalled, he asks how we may reposition ourselves to recognize the issues, come together on a global scale, instigate change, and ultimately, heal.
About Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, one of the world’s most significant botanic and sculpture experiences, was named the Best Sculpture Park in the United States in the 2023, 2024 and 2025 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, and is regularly listed in the 100-most-visited museums in the world and 15-most-visited museums in the United States by The Art Newspaper, the leading global art news publication. The permanent collection highlights hundreds of sculptures from internationally acclaimed artists Magdalena Abakanowicz, El Anatsui, Louise Bourgeois, Alexander Calder, Mark di Suvero, Marshall Fredericks, Henry Moore, Beverly Pepper, Jaume Plensa, Auguste Rodin, Richard Serra, Yinka Shonibare CBE, and Ai Weiwei, among others. Indoor galleries with changing sculpture exhibitions have presented numerous solo shows, including artists Jonathan Borofsky, Edgar Degas, Jim Dine, Richard Hunt, Cristina Iglesias, Michele Oka Donor, George Segal, David Smith, and others. The 158-acre main campus features Michigan’s largest tropical conservatory; one of the country’s largest interactive children’s gardens; arid and Victorian gardens with bronze sculptures by Edgar Degas and Auguste Rodin; a carnivorous plant house; outdoor gardens, including a replica 1930s-era farm garden; an 8-acre Japanese garden featuring contemporary sculpture; and a 1,900-seat outdoor amphitheater garden, showcasing an eclectic mix of world-renowned touring musicians each summer. Learning Engagement programs welcome 80,000 students and guests each year. Culinary Arts & Events offerings include weddings, corporate meetings, and award-winning catering.
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park promotes the enjoyment, understanding, and appreciation of gardens, sculpture, the natural environment, and the arts.
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