Nick Cave (born February 4, 1959 in Fulton, Missouri, is an American fabric sculptor, dancer, and performance artist. He is best known for his Soundsuits: wearable fabric sculptures that are bright, whimsical, and other-worldly. He also trained as a dancer with Alvin Ailey.

He resides in Chicago and is director of the graduate fashion program at School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Nick Cave was raised in central Missouri, by a single mother. He is the youngest of seven boys, and the family was of modest means. Cave attributes his interest in found objects and assemblage to his childhood circumstances.

Cave learned to sew in the fiber department of the Kansas City Art Institute, where he earned a Bachelor of F...