It all started from “No Man’s Land”, a female-artists-focused exhibition at the Rubell Museum, where Jack Siebert and his mother Leslie Siebert fell in love with works by Jennifer Guidi and Mary Weatherford back in 2015. Since then, they have been building up a contemporary art collection, with a focus that has evolved from Los Angeles-based artists to emerging women artists. Established artists, including Louise Bourgeois, Mary Heilmann, Sue Williams, and others are hung alongside today’s rising stars, such as Shara Hughes and Hilary Pecis. Jack does studio visits weekly and has built close relationships with the various artists in their collection.
LARRY’S LIST had a chat with Jack about the motivation to focus on female artists, his experience of collecting art with his mother, how he has converted some friends to become art collectors, one special memory with an artist, and the three emerging women artists he suggested putting on our radar.

Collecting

What made you want to start collecting art? What is the main motivation behind your collecting?
The collection started after a trip to Art Basel Miami in 2015. The fairs became bonding trips for my mother Leslie, and I, while I was living in New York and she was in Los Angeles. The Rubell Museum had just opened their new exhibit, “No Man’s Land” a show focused on female artists. I fell in love with works by Jennifer Guidi and Mary Weatherford, both of whose works were early acquisitions in the collection.
The collection began with a focus on Los Angeles-based artists, where the collection is based. Being close to the artists and getting to spend time in their studios helped create a deeper understanding of the works added to the collection.
Since the collecting journey began seven years ago, the collection pivoted to a focus on emerging female artists. I wanted to add works by emerging artists to the already-established names in the collection. Leslie has spent her entire career empowering women, and I wanted to transfer that focus into the collecting journey. Having a focus in my collecting has been important in refining my vision.

When did you fall in love with a piece of art? What was it?
Since the collection focuses on emerging artists, I have to fall in love with each work that I acquire, as there is no history or legacy behind the work. It’s all based off my initial gut instinct and the beauty I find in the work. Collecting is a very personal journey, and I love every work I purchase.

Why do you focus your art collection on female artists?
I moved back to Los Angeles from New York in March because of the pandemic, and it was a time of reflection. My mother Leslie and I decided we wanted to create a clear focus in our collection. Leslie’s entire career has been built on empowering women in the entertainment industry, and I wanted to translate that message into the art world. From that time, I refined the focus and continued to build the collection with emerging female artists, whom I identified and built relationships with, adding to the existing collection that already included several important female artists, such as works by Louise Bourgeois, Mary Heilmann, Sue Williams, Tala Madani, Luchita Hurtado, and Jacqueline Humphries.

What type of art has consistently attracted you? What is the theme that unites all the works you have acquired?
It is important to have a balanced collection that has a mix of mediums and styles. The collection mixes figurative works by artists such as Shannon Cartier Lucy, Chloe Wise, Ivy Haldeman, Lauren Halsey, and Jenna Gribbon, with abstract works by artists like Lauren Quin, Jana Schroder, and Andrea Marie Breiling. I have recently fallen in love with interior paintings and landscape works, and have beautiful works by Hilary Pecis, Hayley Barker, and Shara Hughes. Ceramics are also an important part of the collection with works by Ruby Neri and Jennifer Rochlin. I am inspired by every artist in the collection and have been fortunate to cultivate personal relationships with most of the artists I own work by.

What were the first and the latest artworks you purchased?
Jennifer Guidi’s “Untitled (Red Sand SF #2E Mandala, Yellow Ground)” painting was the first. The most recent work is Karyn Lyon’s “The Farewell Dinner”, included in her most recent solo exhibition at Turn Gallery in New York.

How many artworks do you own?
Never enough.

Have you ever presented, or would you wish to present, your art collection publicly?
I have loaned works to museum exhibitions. My dream is to have a public collection in Los Angeles, specifically a space to give exposure to emerging artists.

You share your collecting journey with your mother. How is the experience? Do you have the same considerations before acquiring an artwork?
Once the focus was established, I have managed and built the collection based on my relationships with artists and gallerists. I have studio visits weekly with artists and support them as they develop their practice. I have a personal relationship with almost every artist I add to the collection, and now consider many of them my friends. I love getting behind artists and helping support their practice.
I appreciate considering all additions to the collection with my mother as we have similar taste. I am constantly discovering new artists and bringing attention to and discussing their work for the collection.

You like being close to the artists. Any special/interesting stories or memories with artists to share?
This past summer I flew up to San Francisco to see Lauren Quin’s show at Friends Indeed Gallery. Lauren has become a friend and an artist whose work I have in the collection. We had a beautiful day up north that started with a wine tour and collection visit at The Donum Estate in Sonoma. From there Micki Meng of Friends Indeed Gallery hired a white stretch limousine to drive us from Sonoma to Lauren’s show in San Francisco. It was prom night all over again.

You have also converted some friends to art collectors. How did you do that?
My friends have always looked to me as their cultural leader (laughing). Throughout our travels, I educate my friends about new artists through gallery openings, studio visits, and art fairs. Many of artists I have recently added to the collection are in a similar age range to myself. I like to bring friends in who have become interested in art and join me in supporting artists from our generation. It is exciting to watch artists from my generation develop as my eye develops. I encourage all of my friends to get involved in art and support artists early on in their career, when they most need the support.

What are on your wish list right now? What are the next steps for your collection?
I have a long list of artists I am very excited to acquire works by for the collection. I don’t reveal my wish list until it is fulfilled, sorry! A few names I am very excited about are Jenna Gribbon, Jana Schroder, Karyn Lyons, Jenny Morgan, Bambou Gili, Sally J Han, and Louise Giovanelli. 

The Art World

What was your happiest moment being involved in art?
Being able to discover artists early on in their practice and establishing a relationship. I love introducing artists to my friends and building their collections with artists that inspire me, and I am excited to grow alongside.

What is your advice to others of your age who are thinking about starting their art collecting journeys?
Call me.

Can you name three emerging women artists who should be on our radar?
Lauren Satlowski, Anastasia Bay, and Diane Dal-Pra.

What are you especially excited about in regard to art in the next 12 months?
To watch the artists in my collection continue to develop their practice and to support them along the way.

Instagram: @jacksiebert

A selection of artists Jack and Leslie collect:
Hilary Pecis
Jenna Gribbon
Karyn Lyons
Lauren Quin
Shara Hughes

By Ricko Leung