Spike Lee, 2023. (Photo: © Jamel Shabazz)

Spike Lee on a Dozen Prized Objects in His Collection

Hear an audio guide to Spike Lee: Creative Sources

By Corinne Segal

October 26, 2023

More than 450 objects from the personal collection of filmmaker Spike Lee are now on view at the Brooklyn Museum as part of Spike Lee: Creative Sources. For our audio guide to the exhibition, Lee shared his reflections on a selection of items. Below, you’ll find images of the works he discussed as well as links to listen to Lee’s thoughts on each one. Come to the Museum to see these objects in person through February 4, 2024.

Spike Lee (born Atlanta, Georgia, 1957). Acceptance Speech from the 91st Academy Awards with Show Ticket, 2019. Collection of Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee. (Photo: by Joshua White, © 2023 Academy Museum Foundation),

As Lee accepted an Oscar for BlacKkKlansman in 2019, his speech praised “our ancestors who have built this country into what it is today.” Hear why Lee opted to bring his speech on paper instead of submitting it to the teleprompter ahead of the ceremony.

Shepard Fairey (born Charleston, South Carolina, 1970). PROGRESS (Obama), 2008. Signed by Barack Obama and Fairey; inscribed by Fairey: “Spike, thanks for the inspiration.” Screenprint. Collection of Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee. (Photo: by Joshua White, © 2023 Academy Museum Foundation),

Lee talks about Shepard Fairey’s 2008 portrait of former United States president Barack Obama, featuring Obama’s likeness and the word “PROGRESS.” Lee owns a screenprint of the design, signed by Obama and inscribed by Fairey with the words, “Spike, thanks for the inspiration.”

Unknown artist. Michael Jordan in Nike “Jumpman” Air Jordan Campaign, 1985. Signed and inscribed by Michael Jordan: “My Very Best . . . #23.” Printed paper and ink. Collection of Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee. (Photo: by Joshua White, © 2023 Academy Museum Foundation)

Lee shares his thoughts on Nike’s “Jumpman” ad campaign, Michael Jordan, and Air Jordans, which are featured in Lee’s film She’s Gotta Have It. In the film, Lee plays Mars Blackmon, a basketball-obsessed breakdancer who wears a “Brooklyn” cycling cap, name chain, and the famous sneakers. Lee’s poster is signed and inscribed by Jordan: “My Very Best . . . #23.”

Flag for African National Congress, n.d. Signed and inscribed by Nelson and Winnie Mandela (top to bottom): “To Spike Lee, Yours in struggle, from Nelson Mandela”; “Victory is in sight! We shall be free! Amandla! Power To the People. Winnie Mandela South Africa 31/3/92.” Collection of Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)

One of Lee’s most treasured possessions is an African National Congress flag signed by former South African president Nelson Mandela and activist and politician Winnie Mandela. Lee acquired the flag in 1992 while shooting the final scenes for Malcolm X, in which Nelson Mandela plays a teacher in Soweto. He won the country’s first democratic elections in 1994.

Unknown artist. Spike, Joie, David, Cinqué, and Christopher Lee at 186 Warren Street, Cobble Hill, circa 1967–70. Gelatin silver print. Collection of Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)

This photo, dated circa 1967–70, shows Lee with his siblings, Joie, David, Cinqué, and Christopher Lee, at 186 Warren Street in Cobble Hill, where they lived as children. Hear Spike Lee’s recollections of the time when this photo was taken.

Lee talks about the French poster for Elia Kazan’s On the Waterfront, one of Lee’s favorite films, which he credits with changing cinema.

Lee received Prince’s unique “Love Symbol” guitar as a gift from the artist, as the filmmaker reveals in this audio. Lee worked with Prince several times, directing some of his music videos and using his songs in the film Girl 6.

President Barack Obama wrote this letter to Lee in 2015, after the filmmaker received an honorary Oscar from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Hear Lee read the letter.

Lentar 3PZ Super 8 Camera, circa 1970. Collection of Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)

In the summer of 1977, Lee received this Super 8 camera as a gift from a childhood friend while he was in New York on break from Morehouse College. In this clip, Lee describes that formative era.

Richard Avedon (New York, New York, 1923–2004, San Antonio, Texas). Malcolm X, New York City, 1963. Signed by Richard Avedon. Gelatin silver print. Collection of Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee. (Photo: © The Richard Avedon Foundation)

Richard Avedon created this portrait of Malcolm X in 1963. Hear Lee’s thoughts on the image and the photographer.

Theatrical Posters for The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, 1972/74. Offset lithographs. Collection of Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)

Lee has underscored The Godfather and The Godfather Part II as particularly important to him and his work. Listen to his experience of first seeing the posters for those films.

Tim Okamura (born 1968). Portrait of Toni Morrison circa 1993, 2020. Oil, graphite on canvas. Collection of Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee. © Tim Okamura. (Photo: courtesy of the artist)

Lee remembers novelist Toni Morrison (1931–2019). In 2020, Morrison was commemorated as one of Time magazine’s “100 Women of the Year.” As part of the project, Time created new covers for past issues, for which this painting was commissioned.

Listen to the full audio guide for Spike Lee: Creative Sources on Spotify or in person at the Brooklyn Museum with the Bloomberg Connects app.

Corinne Segal is Senior Manager of Web Content at the Brooklyn Museum.