Nick Cave’s background in visual arts, fashion design, and dance influence his unique Soundsuits. Constructed to fit his own proportions and, in some instances, to be worn during dance performances, the sculptural suits are made from objects and materials the artist finds in markets, as well as in thrift and antique stores. Cave draws upon various cultural traditions that involve the use of masks and costumes to both hide the identity of their wearers and to amplify their gestures into powerful public acts of expression. In particular, the artist is interested in how a garment might hide racial identity and allow communication free from prejudice to occur. In this example, an antique gramophone embedded within garlands of beads and ceramic songbirds, strongly suggests the idea of speaking out.