Alicia Keys and Swizz Beat made their way to Atlanta to showcase the art exhibit “Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys” at the High Museum of Art. This exhibit aims to celebrate renowned Black creatives by showcasing several mediums with contemporary art.
Mekala Krishnan, the High Museum’s Shannon Landing Amos Associate Director of Museum Interpretation, said she was inspired to bring the exhibition to Atlanta on Sept. 13 to honor present and past trailblazing artists.
“In creating a narrative about ‘giants’ of Black art, it was important to pay tribute to some of the path breakers who led the way in the 50s, 60s and 70s— many of whom created space for current and future artists,” Krishnan said. “Whether that’s an artist like Esther Mahlangu, a South African artist who adapts the Ndebele motifs into her bold, modern paintings, or Gordon Parks, whose photojournalism during the Civil Rights movement documented pivotal moments and everyday life in African-American history, this section of the exhibition sets the tone for everything that comes after.”
Krishnan believes the greatest influence of this exhibit is the richness it reflects of Black artists along with the complex, diverse picture.
“I think the plurality and diversity of Black artistry is what is most impactful,” Krishnan said. “The exhibition offers a multidimensional, multifaceted vision of Black experience and life. It is a spectrum that encompasses joy, accomplishment and beauty alongside oppression and adversity; it is both the small, everyday moments of relaxation and the big, significant moments of social struggle and change.”
Junior Sydni Walker recently went to the exhibit and said the showcased art made her question her individuality in several ways.
“They challenge identity in a way through race, gender and power,” Walker said. “The work that they made kinda pushes one to think more — stuff like family, school or music pieces. Their unique pieces made personal identity feel central.”
Senior Thalia Smith said this storytelling-oriented exhibit was inspiring and represented the history and stories of several struggles faced by African-American people.
“The exhibition revolved around storytelling and as someone who has always loved all things creative, it was inspiring to see how art isn’t just visually captivating but can hold entire stories, histories and struggles within them,” Smith said. “Creativity can challenge social issues, spark conversations and inspire change. In my future career, I hope my work can also carry meaning and impact.”
Several pieces stood out to Smith, particularly, “Battle for Area X,” which depicted hardships faced due to racial discrimination.
“The piece entitled ‘Battle for Area X’ by Jerome Lagarrigue really stuck out to me,” Smith said. “The piece was a beautiful representation of the internal and external struggles relating to societal injustice. The art inspires reflection that battles over identity aren’t just in society, they are extremely personal.”
Smith said the best aspect of the exhibit for her was viewing the youth take part in the stimulating artwork, giving her hope for the time ahead.
“My favorite part of visiting the exhibit was the overall atmosphere, seeing all the students and young people seeing the art,” Smith said. “Watching the future generation look at the thought-provoking art pieces was inspirational and sparked hope for change. This being said, I loved the deeper implications of each piece. Taking the time to notice all the details encouraged me to fully engage with each piece and carefully read the history behind them.”
Walker believes this exhibit pushed her to delve further into her art with a different perspective.
“It sort of inspires [one] to think deeper into the art and be more bold with art,” Walker said. “Also it makes you want to think about the identity of the artwork you create. It shows how both of the artists use history, but also include tradition, which merges the past and present.”
