Three Champions Elevating Black Art

Meet the Collectors

A Derrick Adams painting and sculpture by Nick Cave in the home of Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz. Photo via Architectural Digest
In celebration of Black History Month, we recognize important collectors who are not only preserving Black artistic heritage but also shaping its future. Through their passion and patronage, these art enthusiasts have become vital stewards of contemporary Black and African American art. More than collectors, they are cultural champions—elevating Black artists, amplifying their voices, and ensuring their work reaches wider audiences. Their collections serve as dynamic archives of Black creativity, each guided by a unique mandate yet united in the mission to affirm, celebrate, and sustain Black artistic excellence.


Dr. Kenneth Montague
The Wedge Collection

Dr. Kenneth Montague, Toronto, ON

Toronto-based dentist and curator Dr. Kenneth Montague founded Wedge Curatorial Projects, an initiative that promotes Black artists through exhibitions, education, and collecting. His Wedge Collection includes works by Carrie Mae Weems, Barkley L. Hendricks, and Samuel Fosso. The collection has been exhibited in institutions like the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Toronto and most recently at the Saatchi Gallery in London, ensuring public engagement with Black visual culture.

Installation views from Dancing in the Light at MOCA, Toronto, Canada

 

Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz
The Dean Collection

Alicia Keys and Kasseem “Swizz Beatz” Dean with paintings by Tschabalala Self. Photo via ARTnews.

 

Grammy award winning singer Alicia Keys and rapper/record producer Swizz Beatz (Kasseem Dean) have amassed a significant array of artworks by Black diasporic artists, including pieces by Gordon Parks, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Lorna Simpson through their Dean Collection. Their exhibition, “Giants,” first showcased at the Brooklyn Museum in 2024, is now on view at the Minneapolis Institute of Art through July 13th, 2025, and highlights nearly 100 works that celebrate Black culture and critique societal issues. The exhibition reflects the Deans’ passion for supporting established and emerging artists while fostering important dialogues about art, culture, and identity.

A painting by Lauren Pearce and a black and white photo by Sanlé Sory in the home of Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz. Photo via Architectural Digest
A painting by Toyin Ojih Odutola on view at “Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys”

 

Bernard Lumpkin
Lumpkin-Boccuzzi Family Collection

Bernard Lumpkin, New York, New York

Bernard Lumpkin, a former television executive of both African-American and Sephardic Jewish descent, is a dedicated collector of contemporary African American art. His Lumpkin-Boccuzzi Family Collection focuses on emerging Black artists, such as Amy Sherald, Jordan Casteel, and Titus Kaphar. Lumpkin’s collecting journey began in 2009 after the unexpected death of his father. The collector wished to connect with his African heritage through art by supporting artists of colour to reflect his identity, ensure his children understand their heritage, and create a visual dialogue on Black identity. His collection has been displayed in museums like the Studio Museum in Harlem, and he co-authored Young, Gifted and Black: A New Generation of Artists, a book highlighting Black artists from his collection.

An untitled black and white paper silhouette collaged by Kara Walker in the home of Bernard Lumpkin and Carmine Boccuzzi. © The Lumpkin-Boccuzzi Family Collection Of Contemporary Art, Photograph Dawn Blackman
Tunji Adeniyi-Jones, Blue Dancer, 2017, collection of Bernard Lumpkins

If you would like to learn more about these collectors and their vital role in expanding the visibility of Black artists, or about any of the artists mentioned, please send us a note.

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