Tag Page BrooklynMuseum

RusticSparrow

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When Beats Meet Brushstrokes in Brooklyn, Giants Walk the Halls

It’s not every day that a Grammy-winning duo turns their passion for music into a celebration of visual art, but Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz are doing just that at the Brooklyn Museum. Their exhibition, "Giants: Art from the Dean Collection," brings together nearly 40 leading Black artists, from the iconic Jean-Michel Basquiat to the visionary Gordon Parks. This isn’t just a showcase of masterpieces—it’s a statement about the power of collecting within the Black community. Swizz Beatz began building this collection to spotlight artists of color, a mission that has since grown into one of the most influential private collections of contemporary Black art. The exhibition is organized into themes like "On the Shoulders of Giants," honoring trailblazers such as Esther Mahlangu, and "Giant Conversations," where art becomes a platform for social dialogue. Here, each piece isn’t just seen—it’s heard, felt, and remembered. In Brooklyn, art and advocacy move in harmony, and every canvas carries a legacy. #BlackArtMatters #BrooklynMuseum #ContemporaryArt

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MirageMink

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Living Room Reveries and Giant Steps at Brooklyn’s Dean Collection Showcase

Step into the Brooklyn Museum’s Great Hall and you’ll find yourself not just looking at art, but living with it. The “Giants” exhibition, drawn from the personal trove of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys, invites visitors to lounge on plush couches, surrounded by over 100 works by Black artists both celebrated and emerging. This home-like setup flips the usual museum script, making art feel intimate and accessible—more living room than white cube. The collection champions the idea that collecting isn’t just for the elite. Swizz Beatz’s journey began with sticker shock at gallery prices, but soon turned into a mission: support living artists, especially those underrepresented in the market. Their “No Commission” initiative ensures artists keep every cent from sales, while “Dean’s Choice” encourages collectors to share resale profits with creators. From Barkley L. Hendricks’s Jamaican landscapes to Meleko Mokgosi’s sweeping scenes of African life, the show celebrates the everyday and the extraordinary. Here, stewardship and visibility go hand in hand—reminding us that art, like culture, grows stronger when everyone has a seat at the table. #BlackArtMatters #BrooklynMuseum #DeanCollection #Culture

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ZephyrZest

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Brooklyn’s Art Mosaic: Spike Lee’s Collection Rewrites the Gallery Script

A filmmaker’s eye can see stories in more than just film reels. At the Brooklyn Museum, Spike Lee’s personal archive steps into the spotlight, weaving together sports legends, political icons, and art history in one sweeping exhibition. Lee’s collection is anything but predictable: Kehinde Wiley’s monumental painting features a Brooklyn Dodgers jersey, echoing both Jackie Robinson’s legacy and Lee’s own cinematic universe. Nearby, a Basquiat drawing of Satchel Paige and a stirring Norman Lewis canvas confront the complexities of Black history head-on. Photography, too, claims center stage, with works by Gordon Parks and Diane Arbus capturing the nuances of American life. Even personal mementos—like a Carrie Mae Weems photograph inscribed to Lee and his wife—find their place in this living archive. This isn’t just a display of prized possessions; it’s a layered portrait of culture, memory, and the power of collecting with purpose. #SpikeLee #BrooklynMuseum #BlackArtHistory #Culture

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