Artist and singer/songwriter Alicia Keys is known for her soulful sounds. Her husband, Swizz Beatz (Kasseem Dean) is a talented music producer, entrepreneur and businessman. But what people might not know is that for 20 years, the couple has been quietly collecting world-class art. And now, some 100 pieces from the Dean Collection are coming to the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) for the groundbreaking exhibition, Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys.
“We want you to feel connected and emotional and really discover artists that maybe you know of, maybe you don’t know of, maybe you’re seeing for the first time,” Keys says in a video in the exhibition. “We want you to see the giants on whose shoulders we stand.”
Toyin Ojih Odutola. Paris Apartment, 2016–17. Charcoal, pastel, pencil on paper. The Dean Collection, courtesy of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys. © Toyin Ojih Odutola. Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York. (Photo: Joshua White / JWPictures.com)
The exhibition first opened to much fanfare at the Brooklyn Museum in 2024. With works by Derrick Adams, Deborah Roberts and Toyin Ojih Odutola, the collection highlights Black diasporic artists. The goal is to spark a dialogue about art and to celebrate the achievements of Black artists around the world.
“Hosting Giants in Minneapolis is especially poignant as we approach the fifth anniversary of George Floyd’s murder,” says Chair of Global Contemporary Art at Mia Casey Riley. “Many artists in this exhibition confront and reflect upon issues that resonate deeply in our community, making their voices all the more essential in a city that has become a global center for conversations about racial justice and equity.”
The Deans have long been celebrated not only for their record-topping music but also for their dedication to the arts. Through painting, sculpture and objects, the Dean Collection champions Black visual artists worldwide. The exhibition explores themes of Black identity, resilience and creativity through a range of media.
Deborah Roberts. The Visionary, 2018. Acrylic paint, ink, found photographs, gouache on paper. The Dean Collection, courtesy of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys. © Deborah Roberts. (Photo: Glenn Steigelman)
At Mia, the exhibition is organized thematically, with section titles that expand upon the big ideas behind it. “Giant Presence” offers a dramatic display of large-scale works, including monumental paintings by Titus Kaphar and a colossal work by Meleko Mokgosi, the largest painting created by the artist to date. Another section, “Giant Conversations,” addresses societal critique and protest. Here, Lorna Simpson’s “Tense” (1991) explores the complexities of Black female self-representation, while Nick Cave’s sculptures act as protective devices for the imagined wearer. Near the end of the show, “On the Shoulders of Giants” features work by elder artists such as Esther Mahlangu, whose richly pigmented, abstract paintings reimagine traditional South African Ndebele art. The history of photography is also represented here with many prints by Kwame Brathwaite, Malick Sidibé and Gordon Parks.
“Giants is a show that pays homage to the work of ancestors while also thinking about the future — not just for Black artists, but for humanity, and I think that will resonate with folks living here,” Riley points out. “Minneapolis is a city that cares deeply about arts and culture, and we’ve got the institutions and organizations to prove it. We’re also a city full of people who are passionate about the civic sphere and are deeply engaged with helping our communities to thrive.”
Ebony G. Patterson. . . . they were just hanging out . . . you know . . . talking about . . . ( . . . when they grow up . . .), 2016. Beads, appliqués, fabric, glitter, buttons, costume jewelry, trimming, rhinestones, glue, digital prints. The Dean Collection, courtesy of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys. © Ebony G. Patterson. Courtesy of the artist, Monique Meloche Gallery, and the Studio Museum in Harlem. (Photo: Adam Reich)
One of the guiding principles of the Dean Collection is the idea of artists helping artists. Because both Mr. and Mrs. Dean are deeply involved in the creative process, they have a special kinship with the visual artists whose works they are investing in. “Our strategy is to collect living artists as much as possible because those artists can use our support now and today,” Beatz explains in the exhibition video. “Because we don’t feel like we own any artwork, we feel like it’s — ‘welcome to the family.’”
This artist-to-artist ethos is what sets the Dean Collection apart. For Keys and Beatz, it’s a mutual understanding of what it takes to create an artistic vision — and the struggles and personal insights necessary to make meaningful art. “The mission of the Dean Collection is to collect, protect and respect. And that’s really the whole energy behind Giants,” Keys asserts in the exhibition video. “It’s also to make sure these artists know they are family to us.”
Kwame Brathwaite. Untitled (Model Who Embraced Natural Hairstyles at AJASS Photoshoot), circa 1970, printed 2018. Pigmented inkjet print. The Dean Collection, courtesy of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys. © Kwame Brathwaite. (Photo: Joshua White / JWPictures.com)
Mia curators and designers have spent months planning the epic show, which will spill over into multiple galleries. The exhibition also includes ephemera and objects from the Deans’ personal lives that reflect their diverse interests and deep involvement in both music and the visual arts. A specially crafted musical playlist guides museum goers from gallery to gallery throughout the exhibition, adding just the right amount of cool.
Giants comes with a host of special programming, including an extended partnership with Public Functionary (PF). A cohort of PF artists has curated five Meet at Mia programs based on the themes of the exhibition. Visitors can also enjoy two Family Day programs inspired by Giants, as well as numerous open studios. All programs are free and open to the public, no pre-registration needed.
Derrick Adams. Woman in Grayscale (Alicia) [left] and Man in Grayscale (Swizz) [right], 2017. Pigmented inkjet print. The Dean Collection, courtesy of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys. © 2023 Derrick Adams Studio. (Photo: Glenn Steigelman)
“I would hope that the excellence of the Dean Collection will inspire people who see it to learn more about the artists,” Riley concludes. “There are some incredibly powerful works in this show, and their messages are meant to be heard. At the same time, there’s plenty of joy — and I hope that folks leave feeling not just enlightened but lighter.”
