By Ariyana Griffin
Special to the AFRO
Spike Lee’s special exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum recently closed after taking thousands on a journey through his collection of art, photos and memorabilia– all connected to his career, interests and life.
Lee, born in Atlanta and raised in Brooklyn, is an Academy Award and prime time Emmy winner, screenwriter, actor, director and author. His museum exhibit, “Spike Lee: Creative Sources,” was a compilation of some of his most prized possessions, which helped fuel his world renowned projects.
Over 450 pieces of his personal collection, taken from his home and the Brooklyn-based 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks studio, were included in the exhibit. Lee shared that it was just a small portion of pieces amassed over his lifetime.
“It’s been difficult to dwindle down– even with this show. There is still a lot of stuff that can’t make it because there is only a limited amount of space,” he said in an interview with the Brooklyn Museum. “I’m still collecting, and I’m not stopping now,” he said.
It is safe to say you did not have to be an art fanatic to find your place at the exhibit. There was something in his collection for everyone. The exhibit was an ode to music, Black history and culture, sports, Brooklyn and collectors.
A proud graduate of Morehouse College class of 1979, Lee also paid homage to his alma mater and Spelman College, where his mother and grandmother graduated from. The exhibit also highlighted his father’s heavy music background and his brother’s love for photography.
The rooms mimicked a movie set with wood outlines that contrasted with the vibrant colors on the walls. Visitors could view photographs and signed items from civil rights activists, such as Angela Davis and authors such as Alice Walker. Many of the items included in the installation were signed by some of the world’s most renowned figures.
One-of-a-kind pieces, such as a guitar gifted by the late great Prince, Air Jordans worn during a winning game from Micheal Jordan and a magazine signed to Lee by Kobe Bryant were on display as well.
The die hard New York Knicks fan, Lee had a room dedicated to the team. He even collected the basketball net from their first world championship win in 1970, which he witnessed at age 13. Original ticket stubs, newspaper clippings and jerseys worn by those he calls heroes took over the space.
Visitors were able to get a taste of Brooklyn’s culture by sitting and taking photos on a prop stoop. A message behind it read, “There’s something about Brooklyn. It’s the people, the diversity, the culture, the people who make up this great borough. I mean I grew up here and it’s developed the person who I am and who I’ve become, and so therefore that has been the subject of a lot of my films.”
A few hours were needed to fully take in the exhibit, as it was definitely not one to speed through. The peak into Spike Lee’s world closed on Feb. 11 at the Brooklyn Museum.
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