The Smithsonian American Art Museum has unveiled "Nick Cave: Mammoth," a major new commission by artist Nick Cave. The exhibition, which opened on February 13, 2026, is the museum's largest-ever commission by a single artist and marks Cave's first solo show in Washington, D.C. It transforms a suite of galleries into immersive environments featuring a massive hand-beaded tapestry, towering sculptures incorporating mammoth skulls, and a large light table displaying thousands of found objects.
The commission is significant for its scale and personal nature, drawing on Cave's childhood in Missouri and family craft traditions to explore memory, inheritance, and the American experience. It represents a major institutional commitment to contemporary art and is positioned as a key dialogue with the museum's broader collection. The exhibition is curated by Sarah Newman and will be on view for nearly a year, through January 3, 2027.