Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz's Dean Collection Exhibition 'Giants' Opens at MCASD in 2026

The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD) will present 'Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys' from April 18 to August 9, 2026. This exhibition features over 130 works by nearly 40 Black diasporic artists from the personal collection assembled by musician-producer Kasseem 'Swizz Beatz' Dean and singer-songwriter Alicia Keys. Originally organized by the Brooklyn Museum in 2024, the show travels to the West Coast with thematic sections exploring Black artistic legacy, cultural identity, and social inquiry. Notable artists include Jean-Michel Basquiat, Gordon Parks, Amy Sherald, Mickalene Thomas, and Ebony G. Patterson, whose 2016 mixed-media installation addresses police violence against Black youth. The exhibition includes paintings, photographs, sculptures, and installations, with a new 25-foot multimedia work by Mickalene Thomas making its debut. MCASD associate curator Amy Crum stated the exhibition allows the museum to engage in dialogues about Black joy, resistance, and identity, presenting many artists already in the institution's holdings in a fresh context. The collection reflects the couple's philosophy of honoring artistic 'giants' and supporting Black creative expression.