Most people get a cake and maybe some socks for their birthday. Beyoncé, however, celebrated her 45th by gifting $2 million to the Studio Museum in Harlem. Because when you're worth a cool billion, apparently, you give yourself the gift of giving.
Queen Bey herself explained her decision in a press release, noting that art tells everyone's stories, but isn't always the easiest to access. She's long admired the Studio Museum for embedding itself in the community and, she says, it's where she discovered many of her favorite young Black artists. An inspiring place, she calls it, where new stories from diverse artists reflect the beautiful mess that is humanity. The museum, for its part, hasn't yet spilled the beans on exactly how they'll spend the cash. Probably on something fabulous, though.
Not Her First Rodeo
It’s hardly surprising that Beyoncé has a soft spot for the art world. She's married to Jay-Z, who's not just a music mogul but also a serious art collector. Remember that "Apeshit" video they filmed in the Louvre? Exactly. When Beyoncé drops new music, it’s practically an art exhibition itself, often featuring works by famous artists and contributions from behind-the-scenes art world heavyweights.
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Start Your News DetoxShe's not just a casual observer, either. Together, the power couple has built an impressive collection of Black art. This is the woman with 35 Grammy Awards and over 200 million records sold. Let that satisfying number sink in. So, a $2 million birthday present? For her, that's just a Tuesday.
A Harlem Gem's New Chapter
The Studio Museum, founded way back in 1968, recently emerged from a seven-year hibernation. Its brand-new, $160 million building on 125th Street, designed by architect David Adjaye, reopened in November, looking, as one ARTnews writer put it, "stunning."
And it's not just a pretty face. Last year, the museum received a Jean-Michel Basquiat painting from financier Joseph Perella and his wife Amy, making it one of the rare U.S. institutions to own one. Masterpieces by Barkley K. Hendricks, Kerry James Marshall, and Faith Ringgold are also on display. Thelma Golden, the museum's director, called Beyoncé's gift "generous" and thanked her for recognizing the museum's vital role. It was founded to shake up the art landscape, after all, and this gift will help it keep doing just that for Harlem, New York, and the world.
It seems Beyoncé knows the best way to celebrate another year of being Beyoncé is to make sure more people can see themselves reflected in the art world. Which, if you think about it, is a pretty good look.
