Richmond, get ready—because this exhibit is larger than life!

Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys are bringing Giants: Art from the Dean Collection to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts this fall, and it’s shaping up to be one of the biggest art moments the city has ever seen.

From November 22, 2025, through March 1, 2026, the Altria Group Gallery and NewMarket Gallery will be home to more than 130 works of art by 40 Black artists hailing from Africa, Europe, the United States, and the Caribbean. This exhibition isn’t just an art show—it’s a declaration of Black brilliance, history, and imagination spread across walls that will feel electric with culture.

For years, Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys have impacted the culture, bringing their sound, looks, and influence to multiple sectors across entertainment. The Dean Collection is an extension of that, filled with gems they have acquired throughout their career, a homage celebrating giants from the past, present, and future. 

The lineup is stacked with legendary names: Jean-Michel Basquiat, Derrick Adams, Kehinde Wiley, Amy Sherald, Gordon Parks, Barkley Hendricks, Toyin Ojih Odutola, Mickalene Thomas, Nick Cave, and so many more. From larger-than-life portraits to monumental thought pieces, these works aren’t just paintings and photographs—they’re powerful reflections of Black artistry’s past, present, and future.

Keys perfectly summarized the importance of the exhibit: “We need to be our most giant selves: to think our most giant thoughts, express ourselves in the biggest way possible, and give ourselves permission to be giants.”

That’s the energy behind this exhibition. As artists and collectors, Swizz and Keys have always emphasized creating space for others to shine. Their collection isn’t just about acquiring—it’s about honoring. As they describe it, the Dean Collection is “by the artist, for the artist, with the people.”

Organized by the Brooklyn Museum and brought to life at VMFA under the curatorial eye of Valerie Cassel Oliver, this show is not only history-making—it’s an invitation. Debuting first at the Brooklyn Museum in February 2024, Richmond is now about to be the stage where giants walk among us, and everyone gets a front-row seat.

So clear your calendars and call your crew. Starting this November, Virginia won’t just be for lovers—it’ll be for GIANTS.

Click HERE to reserve your tickets. 

Cover photo: Swizz Beatz & Alicia Keys Are Bringing GIANTS Exhibit to Virginia/Photo credit: The Dean Collection/Brooklyn Museum