The Black Arts Movement Illuminated at The Brooklyn Museum and Harlem Fine Arts Exhibit

Currently on display from February 10th to July 7th is Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys. This premiere exhibition offers a curated glimpse into the couple's extensive art collection and brings together nearly forty “giants” in Black diasporic art. “The collection started not just because we’re art lovers, but also because there’s not enough people of color collecting artists of color,” Swizz told Cultured magazine in 2018.

Born and raised in New York, the couple have been making music for decades and have cultivated diverse passions across music, art, and culture. For over two decades, the Deans have directed their art collection efforts toward supporting living artists, Including Nina Chanel Abney, Derrick Adams, Jordan Casteel, Barkley L. Hendricks, and Esther Mahlangu. The exhibition also offers twelve images by genius street photographer Jamal Shabazz, whose images honor everyday people navigating the streets of New York City from the 1980s to the present. 

In tribute to revered older artists, the "On the Shoulders of Giants" section showcases the work of individuals who have made an enduring impact on the world. The legacy of portrait and street photography finds representation in the works of Kwame Brathwaite, Malick Sidibé, and Gordon Parks, with the Deans possessing the most extensive private collection of  Parks.

According to The Brooklyn Museum: The exhibition’s title, “Giants,” refers to several aspects of the Dean Collection: the renown of legendary artists, the impact of canon-expanding contemporary artists, and the monumental works by such creators as Derrick Adams, Arthur Jafa, and Meleko Mokgosi. The term also evokes the strong bonds between the Deans and the artists they support and among the artists themselves. Along with examining the links and legacies among multigenerational Black artists, the exhibition encourages “giant conversations” inspired by the works on view—critiquing society and celebrating Blackness. Paying homage” Significant works from the Dean Collection will enter the Museum's permanent collection to celebrate the exhibition. For more information visit:    www.Brooklynmuseum.com

Are you looking to start or grow your Black diasporic art collection? Check out the Harlem Fine Arts Show from February 23rd to February 25th, where there will be over 50 artists on display. This traveling exhibition features contemporary paintings, sculpture, and photography, establishing itself as the most extensive touring African diaspora art show in the United States. This year's theme is a dynamic celebration centered on the power of creative arts in health and healing and will honor African Americans in medicine. 

Artist Branden Allen (aka HOBO INK) shared this with Resident Magazine about his participation in the Harlem Fine Arts Show: “HFAS is an incredible platform for first-time and long-time art collectors, allowing the Black community to be recognized as must-see emerging artists. It is also a great wealth-building tool, teaching how to invest in our community via the platform of artistry and collecting. My collection for the show is inspired by American blackness and our history of existence”.

Rodney LoveJones, curator of Graphite House's pop-up gallery, said: “As a part of the Harlem Fine Arts Show marketing team, I can support the Black arts conversation on the ground. This partnership allows fellow artists and gallerists alike to exhibit work and provides an opportunity for the world to watch them shine. Such events offer invaluable platforms for Black artists to emerge and thrive in art while fostering community and solidarity within the African diaspora”. Graphite House will showcase artists Marryam Moma, Cyrus Nelson, and Hobo Ink. 

For more information and tickets for Harlem Fine Arts, visit: www.hfas.org