Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz's art show breaks MCASD record
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Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys portraits by Kehinde Wiley. Photo: Claire Trageser/Axios
Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys' art collection is leaving the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego next week after a record-breaking run, but museum organizers say its impact will last much longer.
Why it matters: The display was meant to highlight artists whose works don't usually appear on museum walls and reach new communities, curator Amy Crum told Axios.
- She said the show achieved the first goal and made progress on the second.
Catch up quick: "Giants" has more than 130 works by 37 Black artists from around the world and came from the art collection of Keys and Swizz Beatz, who have lived in La Jolla for six years.
By the numbers: The show broke records at MCASD, attracting 25,000 people since it opened in April.
Beyond those numbers, Crum said she hopes the exhibit brought in new visitors.
- "Communities that had maybe not seen themselves historically represented on the walls of museums," she said. "It's impossible that one exhibition can address years of history. But I think that this is a step in the right direction."
What's inside: Much of the art is big and vibrant, and Crum said MCASD painted some of its walls and brought in new furniture to match.
- "The conversations that we've been able to facilitate and how we changed the viewing experience in the galleries has been really impactful," she said.
What it's saying: The exhibit opens with a room called "Becoming Giants" with BMX bikes from Swizz Beatz's childhood in the Bronx and one of Keys' pianos.
- Next comes a section called "On the Shoulders of Giants" that honors historic Black artists.
- The rest falls under the category "Giant Conversations," which is meant to celebrate Blackness and critique society by examining issues like homelessness and prison reform, Crum said.
MCASD opened "Giants" for free on its opening day in April, plus on Juneteenth and for two days each month. It will be free Sunday on its closing day.
- The museum will also host a closing celebration Friday with a lowrider showcase and DJ Joe Kay.
What's next: A new exhibit, "Visiones Naturna," which means night vision, will open soon.
- It's about queer nightlife in contemporary art and will have a collection of 13 artists, plus disco balls, dance floors and curtains.
