Vibrant. Whimsical. Wild. Witty. These words encapsulate some, but certainly not all, of the joyous energy within Nick Cave’s Augment. Created as a reflection on the question, “what brings you joy?” the exhibit is intended to be a beacon of happiness, creativity, and togetherness, the visuals are a reflection of the endless ways joy connects and can act as a catalyst for growth.

An exhibit of this scale starts with a big-picture idea and is eventually translated into actionable steps requiring extensive planning around material use, construction, assemblage and operation.

Augment: This is what it takes to make vision a reality.

OVER 1,200 HOURS OF CONSTRUCTION

Cut apart, rearranged, and sewn back together in sometimes fanciful, sometimes creepy, and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny ways (who wouldn’t chuckle at Captain America hugging a big pink Easter Bunny) by Nick himself, the nylon sculpture was built with painstaking detail. Each thread and pull is a testament to the labor and imagination needed to bring this exhibit to life.

1,000+ INFLATABLE LAWN DECORATIONS

Every color of the rainbow is represented in the thousand-plus lawn decorations that balloon and sway throughout the room. A true feast for the eyes.

80 RIGGING CABLES & 18 ELECTRIC FANS

Rigging cables are used to not only secure the sculpture, but allow for free movement of each element. A juxtaposition to the untethered aspects of the billowing inflatable elements. Various pieces are continuously inflating and deflating, creating the illusion of breath and a lively immersion experience for the audience.

963 PUBLIC ART CHAMPIONS

Nearly 1,000 of you helped launch Augment on August 8, filling the Cyclorama with energy, excitement, and exuberance, putting public art in Boston front and center for the night. We also welcomed more than fifteen dancers from Paul DiMuro’s Public Display of Motion and one rock-star bucket drummer, David Bowdre.

56,000 FEET OF JOY

What does all this add up to? A magnificent display of a singular artwork and a call for Boston to come together in public and cultivate joy across the city. Stay tuned for more from our partners at DS4SI about what it takes to collaborate across neighborhoods and launch a three-mile-long JOY parade soon. And mark your calendars for September 14 when Boston’s first-ever joy-parade will take jubilation to the streets. Click here to sign up to be part of the public procession or f you’re a dancer, movement performer, musician or part of a marching band or arts organization, check out our call for paid performers.

Now + There is proud to have collaborated with internationally-acclaimed artist Nick Cave to produce Augment. The exhibit at the Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts is free and open to the public for viewing August 27 thru September 3 and September 12 & 13 — click here to see all public viewing hours. And don’t forget to tell us what brings YOU joy on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and tag your post using #AugmentBOS.