Sunday we were Brooklyn bound.
I was interested in viewing the first major exhibition of the Dean Collection from married musical artists Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz (aka Kasseem Dean).
GIANTS showcases a selection from the couple’s world-class holdings. The Brooklyn Museum’s presentation spotlights works by black contemporary artists from around the world focusing on the art-historical narrative.
The monumental works are by artists Derrick Adams, Arthur Jafa and Meleko and are paired with standouts such as Gordon Parks’ seminal photographs, Kehinde Wiley’s revolutionary portraits and Esther Mahlangu’s globe-bridging canvases.
It was an interesting choice to start the collection spotlighting the Dean’s portraits by American portrait painter, Kehinde Wiley who was commissioned to paint the portrait of President Barack Obama for the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery.
The display of mostly oversized artwork is colorful yet the exhibit is a bit claustrophobic and lacking cohesion.
Keys and Dean say that they’ve never seen so many of the works that they own in one place. Their collection totals more than 1,000 contemporary pieces.
Dean (Swizz Beatz) is a former trustee of the Brooklyn Museum. He resigned in the fall so that the show would not be a conflict of interest.
Take the tour:
This is a thought provoking personal collection with a Swizz Beatz produced soundtrack.
I appreciated the exposure to some of the artists that I was not that familiar with and recognized the sheer magnitude of their artwork.
GIANTS runs through July 7th, 2024 at the Brooklyn Museum.
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