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“Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys” is a groundbreaking exhibition that marks the first major showcase of the Dean Collection, owned by renowned musicians and cultural icons Swizz Beatz (Kasseem Dean) and Alicia Keys.

Organized by the Brooklyn Museum, “Giants” highlights nearly one hundred significant works by Black diasporic artists, including Gordon Parks, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Lorna Simpson, Amy Sherald, and more. The exhibition reflects the Deans’ passion for supporting established and emerging artists while fostering important dialogues about art, culture, and identity.

“The Dean Collection is rooted in the ethos of ‘artists supporting artists,’ and the title Giants reflects both the legendary status of the featured artists and the monumental impact of their work,” says Mia’s chair of global contemporary art Casey Riley in a press release.

The different meanings of giants are explored throughout its three sections. “On the Shoulders of Giants” includes works by influential artists from the past, including Gordon Parks’s photography, the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Esther Mahlangu’s vibrant reimagining of traditional South African Ndebele art. “Giant Conversations” addresses themes of societal critique and protest, with pieces such as Lorna Simpson’s Tense (1991), on Black female self-representation, and Nick Cave’s sculptures, on the protective “costumes” forced on Black men. The show’s grand finale, “Giant Presence,” features large-scale works such as Catfish (2017) by Nina Chanel Abney and Meleko Mokgosi.

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Courtesy of Mia, photo by Jamel Shabazz

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“Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys” is organized by Kimberli Gant, Curator, Modern and Contemporary Art, and Indira A. Abiskaroon, Curatorial Assistant, Modern and Contemporary Art, Brooklyn Museum.