On Thursday night, August 12, BACARDÍ and Swizz Beatz’ The Dean Collection celebrated opening night of No Commission: Art Performs, an immersive 3-day event where art and music collide.
Held at a waterfront warehouse in the South Bronx, where Swizz Beatz was born, No Commission: Art Performs celebrated the artist hustle and where it all started. Opening night featured musical performances by Swizz Beatz, A$AP Rocky, and ASAP Ferg, visual art galleries, and immersive installations.
No Commission is a platform designed specifically to support artists and creates a direct link between artists’ practices and art patronage. All artists are given the exhibition space for free, and 100% of the sale of each artwork goes directly back to them.
The exhibition spans the entire warehouse and features over forty artists, each one exploring hybridity and exuberance in their artistic narrative in a unique way. Placed throughout this immersive experience, were Bacardi pop-up bars with themed drink selects, which kept the celebratory vibes flowing throughout – a seamless integration.
Meanwhile on stage outside, Swizz Beatz took to the turntables, keeping the energy high. Later into the night, he introduced A$AP Rocky, who performed some of his biggest hits, including “Peso,” “Shabba,” “Goldie,” and “L$D.” The night ended strong with surprise guest Doug E. Fresh.
No Commission: Art Performs is the second in a series of impactful artist collaborations between BACARDÍ and The Dean Collection. The first edition of No Commission coincided with Art Basel Miami in 2015 and sold over $1 million in art.
Thursday’s opening night was a successful display of the positive ways the art world and its community can support one another, as well as a hopeful example of what the future holds for artists of all crafts – from musicians to visual artists – to collaborate as a collective effortlessly.
[slideshow]
Photo Credit: BFA/Angela Pham
