The Facts
On October 15, 2026, the Smithsonian American Art Museum announced a site-specific performance by artist Nick Cave and composer Kahil El’Zabar, titled 'Mammoth,' scheduled for October 24, 2026, in the Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard. The work is inspired by Cave's current exhibition 'Nick Cave: Mammoth' at the museum and features a cast of 53 performers, including local musicians, bringing 10 sculpted mammoths to life through sound and movement. El’Zabar’s original score, developed with Cave, traces seven sections from ancient meditation to a contemporary funk. Two 45-minute performances will take place at 12:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., with vocalists on lifeguard chairs and a four-piece ensemble. Admission is free, but registration is required.
The Signal
The performance extends Cave’s signature practice of merging visual art with live performance, reinforcing the growing institutional embrace of immersive, interdisciplinary works. For collectors and curators, 'Mammoth' signals the enduring market relevance of artists who blur boundaries between sculpture, sound, and spectacle, while the museum’s collaboration with Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company highlights a trend toward cross-sector partnerships in cultural programming.
- Artists: Nick Cave, Kahil El’Zabar
- People: Nick Cave, Kahil El’Zabar
- Museums: Smithsonian American Art Museum
- Locations: Washington, D.C.
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