Swizz Beatz is dedicated to living the #ArtLife, an agenda that includes buying up Swoon pieces, creating his own work, and heading to Art Basel Miami Beach to survey the creative scene. Today the hip-hop star took to Instagram to show off his art collection, including two pieces he already owns by Ernie Barnes, a new purchase from KAWS, and one that is on his wishlist—a canvas from Cecily Brown.
The piece above is a 2013 untitled work by the British artist, featuring her familiar abstract nudes. Known for pulling from art history in all of her work, in this painting, Brown's brushstrokes harken back to Willem de Kooning's paintings of women, and her fractured compassion is reminiscent of Picasso's Les demoiselles d'avignon. The painting was most recently on display at Gagosian Gallery in Los Angeles.
We don't blame Swizz for wanting such an incredible work, and his current Ernie Barnes paintings show his broad range of taste. Alicia Keys should be taking notes.