Meet Jack Siebert

C: How do you begin to put a show together?  Do you seek out a space or does a space seek you? Does a theme give you inspiration followed by finding the artists that fall under the them or vice-versa? You mentioned your love of bringing different artists into conversation with each other- Could you talk a bit about this process… 

J: My forthcoming exhibition is opening in Los Angeles next month (February 13) titled Immersed, during Frieze and Felix art fairs. This will be my second curated exhibition in Los Angeles. The idea came together when thinking about the city and how people live and experience spaces. LA is unique in the way that people spend much of their time in their personal spaces. Whether that be the place they live, or the car they drive. Immersed brings together artists who, through abstraction or depictions of personal settings and familiar landscapes, take physical presence and recapture its structure with their own internal experience. The group of artists I selected for this exhibition are all artists I have been following or have built relationships with over the past year. When curating a group of artists I think about bringing together a group of people who can help tell the story I visualize. Each artist I select speaks to an integral part of the exhibition concept. In my social life as well, I love bringing people together, it creates for interesting story telling. 

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C: You’ve already worked with so many up-and-coming artists, do you have different tools for discovering new artists? Where do you look for new voices? And what do you look for in new artists? You mentioned how powerful social media, especially Instagram, can be for finding new artists and connecting with them- how does Instagram allow you to find new talent? What advice do you have for artists who don’t know how to begin making a social media presence? 

J: Instagram is the most powerful tool in discovering artists. It’s more up to date with recent work than any gallery or artist website. I sit on Instagram for hours a day searching and scrolling, looking who other artists are following. It’s one of the most creative platforms and a great way for artists to tell their story. I also tend to discover artists through other artists. I constantly visit artists studios, and from there usually visit their studio assistant’s studios. Many of the artists I have worked with have introduced me to artists that I have planned future exhibitions with. Emma Webster, who was featured in my New York exhibition in May 2022 “Life in an Ivory Tower,” introduced me to fellow Yale alum Alexandria Mento who is in my forthcoming exhibition in Los Angeles. 

For artists just starting out, find a way to tell your story in a unique and thoughtful way. Use social media, it’s a powerful tool to showcase your work and connect with fellow artists, collectors, galleries, etc. Follow artists you admire and encourage them to look at your work. The best part of the art world is the community aspect. Build a community of artists you admire and support each other. Even with my curated exhibitions, showing an artist who has never exhibited work alongside an artist who has already built an impressive CV creates a level of confidence that you need when starting out.

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How do you stay up to date on everything happening in the arts? What advice do you have for students who want to stay up to date but are overwhelmed by all the galleries and shows and artists?

See Saw, the app. It’s the best way to keep up with exhibitions and openings. Students should go to every opening they can. Openings are filled with artists, collectors, admirers of the arts. Talk to people, and if the opportunity presents itself give them a glimpse of your work. For an artist building their practice it is important to see as much art as possible, the good and the bad. 

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What advice do you have for students wanting to break into the art world? What are some skills that students can work on developing in college that will help them?

The most integral part of developing an art practice, in my opinion, is creating your own visual language. What makes your work unique to you? How can someone identity your work? A visual language and story telling come hand in hand. When I curate shows I am story telling, taking an idea that I have and bringing together artists who will help illuminate my story. How does an artist’s language speak to my story? 

I would also say take any time you have and work in artist’s studios that you admire. So many artists I meet are studio assistants to artists I am fond of. Helping create someone else’s vision that you believe in will give you the confidence to create your own. 

Nicolas Party is one of my favorite living artists, his landscapes are majestic and pure beauty. Two years ago I met one of his studio assistants, Robert Zehnder, and began buying his work. He had painted for Party for the past three or four years and created a unique visual language for himself from there. Since then I have continued to support Zehnder’s practice by included him in one of my exhibitions and placing his first institutional work. 

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How do you see the art- world changing in the next five years?

There are more artists, galleries and exhibition spaces than ever. There are so many opportunities for artists to be discovered and exhibit work. I think artists in the next five years will need to be thoughtful in the way they develop their practice and build their resume. Working with galleries that they admire and can connect with. There is no need to rush, develop at a pace that feels organic to you. There will always be opportunity, but for the longevity of an art career take your time and build your practice meaningfully.