Deborah Roberts, a mixed media collage artist, contributes her powerful narratives to “GIANTS: Art from the Dean Collection” exhibition, a showcase of artworks curated by Swizz Beatz (Kasseem Dean) and Alicia Keys’ extensive private collection.
Organized by Curator Kimberli Gant and Curatorial Assistant India A. Abiskaroon of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Brooklyn Museum, the collection aims to inspire important dialogue between art, culture and identity while supporting emerging and established artists. Roberts is among the latter.
Through her vibrant pieces, Roberts explores themes of identity, innocence and representation, particularly focusing on the experiences of young Black girls. Her participation in “GIANTS” serves as a vital dialogue about visibility and humanity in art.
“I think it’s very important that the community gets to see people and images that look like them, especially if you’re in underserved communities,” said Roberts. “So, so very important. I remember as a child going to museums and seeing all these Renaissance works. And the only person you saw of color was in a servant role. They never were the main characters. So it’s important for me to put those types of Black images in my work.”
Her work draws inspiration from literature and iconic Black artists. “It’s really weird. It comes from multiple places. I love literature,” Roberts states. “You can look at Toni Morrison, who influenced me. James Baldwin and bell hooks. Then you look at artists such as Jean Lacy or Romare Bearden or Benny Andrews, people like that.”
Reflecting on the exhibition, she noted, “I think about memories. You can see the black and white photographs that exist there. I think there’s a wonderful piece by Derrick Adams in the exhibition. Amy Sherald’s big painting [Deliverance] has motorcycles that are flying.
“We used to ride bicycles. Me and my brother, we would make these wheelies and we would fly across. So that struck a nerve. No, not a nerve, but I guess a really good memory.”
A central theme in Roberts’ work is the representation of young Black girls, challenging societal stereotypes and reclaiming their innocence. “I think Black girls are also sexualized very early, more than their peers. They’re supposedly seen as more mature. It was important for me to talk about the innocence that exists with young Black girls. They’re children. They’re not women. They’re not capable of making those types of decisions.”
To convey this, Roberts uses layered clothing, mismatched patterns, and youthful postures in her collages. “That’s why you see the multi-layered clothes. You see the mixed-matched clothing. You see the hair bows—all sorts of tropes in there to say, ‘I’m young.’ The tilting of the head, the hands on the hips, you know, things like that.”
Her collage technique deconstructs and rebuilds images to tell nuanced stories. “I would say that I’m putting a narrative into the images. I think that because I work on maybe four pieces at a time, I’m trying to get a message across.”
Roberts adds, “The whole point of doing multi-face collages is that you find one face and you find that person [and the] humanity that exists in that person. So many times people see us as one monolith and not an individual, and I’m hoping to see that one individual in the work.”
Deborah Roberts’ presence in “GIANTS” champions the name and invites viewers to a deeper conversation about identity, community, and the complexity of Black experiences. Her collages are layered with stories, memories, and societal reflections that resonate beyond the canvas, challenging audiences to see and feel the humanity in each piece.
“Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys” is showing March 8, 2025, through July 13, 2025, at the Target Galleries of the Minneapolis Institute of Art.
General Admission $20; Contributor Member+ Free (additional tickets $16)
Youths 17 and under free.
For more information visit new.artsmia.org/exhibition/giants.
