UTA Artist Space and Kasseem “Swizz Beatz” Dean are proud to present
DREAMWEAVERS
Curated by Nicola Vassell
February 13 – April 13, 2019
(Beverly Hills, CA — January 31, 2019) — UTA Artist Space and Kasseem “Swizz Beatz” Dean are proud to present DREAMWEAVERS, a group exhibition curated by Nicola Vassell that contemplates the surreal in society against a vigorously shifting 21st century. The exhibition opens February 13, 2019, 6-8 PM, at UTA Artist Space. DREAMWEAVERS examines the paradox of fact and fantasy through the lens of artists who operate from a deeply imaginative, often provocative, psychological space. The exhibition features the work of Nick Cave, Karon Davis, Cy Gavin, David Hammons, Hector Hyppolite, Arthur Jafa, Pope L, Deana Lawson, Kerry James Marshall, Toyin Ojih Odutola, Noah Purifoy, Nathaniel Mary Quinn, Tschabalala Self, Ming Smith, Nari Ward, Carrie Mae Weems, Charles White, and Kehinde Wiley, among others. Central to DREAMWEAVERS is our place in history: 2019, two years post-Obama. Pillars of social order like truth, reason, justice and civility destabilize, while an appetite for resilience, toil, ingenuity and triumph intensifies along the embattled frontlines of identity and politics. The artists in DREAMWEAVERS sit within the powerful Black renaissance of this era, affirmed by contemporary markets and media. They observe the collision of withered civil virtue, passionate resistance, and vast cultural influence. From a collective unconscious marked by oppression, rather than repression, new imaginative forces rise to manifest the surreal and narrate the illogic of our time.
ABOUT UTA ARTIST SPACE UTA Artist Space is an exhibition venue in the heart of Beverly Hills that is committed to showcasing art by globally recognized talent. Since its establishment in 2016, UTA Artist Space has presented notable exhibitions by artists including Ai Weiwei, Jake and Dinos Chapman, Derrick Adams, Petra Cortright, The Haas Brothers, and Larry Clark. For more information, please visit utaartistspace.com.
ABOUT CONCEPT NV Concept NV is a curatorial agency founded by Nicola Vassell that develops art projects based on social and cultural phenomena. It creates dynamic concepts that tell stories of life through art. Its singular vision links the traditional and experimental art worlds with brands, music, fashion and film. The agency offers unique synergy between creative stakeholders that generates maximum cultural impact. Concept NV helps its collaborators navigate the complex global creative community, transforming knowledge and access into ideas and opportunities. For more information, please visit conceptnv.com.
ABOUT KASSEEM “SWIZZ BEATZ” DEAN Kasseem Dean (Swizz Beatz) is an internationally acclaimed Grammy-Award Winning music producer and global entrepreneur. As a producer, Dean has worked with a diverse range of musical artists and some of the greatest talent in the world, contributing to the sale over 350 million records worldwide. Dean established The Dean Collection in 2014 with his wife Alicia Keys. It is a contemporary family collection and cultural platform. The collection actively acquires and commissions work by visual artists while the platform includes artist support initiatives such as the No Commission art and music festival and TDC 20. Dean sits on the Board of Trustees of the Brooklyn Museum, NY and Americas Foundation of the Serpentine Galleries, London.