In her living room, Joy Simmons displays a selection of works by Diedrick Brackens, Glenn Kaino, and Mickalene Thomas, among others.
Photo: OF Photo Studio
The Collectors: Joy Simmons
The venerable Los Angeles collector has acquired one of the most important assemblages of African and African American art in the country
Joy Simmons. Photo: LEROY HAMILTON
Joy Simmons is on a mission to celebrate Black art and culture. “I really wanted to have a collection that spoke to our time,” says the radiologist, who has amassed one of the most important collections of art by African and African diaspora artists in the country.
Simmons acquired her first piece in 1974—a print by Elizabeth Catlett—and her house in Los Angeles now bursts with early works by some of today’s biggest art stars like Mickalene Thomas, David Hammons, Kerry James Marshall, Julie Mehretu, and Hank Willis Thomas. Regularly opening her doors for events, Simmons recognizes the importance of her collection being visible. “People don’t often get to see art in the home of a Black person. Art is what sustains me and my family,” says Simmons. “I wanted my children to grow up with images that were positive and affirming and provide that respite. After going out and slaying dragons all day with the macro and the micro aggressions that you must put up with as a Black woman, to come home to a space that you curated that you found that nourishes you. It lifts your spirit. That’s how I feel when I walk into my home every day.”
Joy Simmons' dining room. Photo: OF PHOTO STUDIO
Collecting strategy: “It’s just instinct. I don’t map it out. I attend a lot of openings, and I go to a lot of studio visits. Sometimes, an artist has great ideas, but the technique may not be there yet. So you wait. Other times they have really good technique, but they need to work out what they’re trying to say. I’ve been collecting for so long that I just know. I can walk into a studio and say, that’s the piece.”
Mickalene Thomas, "Look at what You've Become" Rhinestones, acrylic and enamel (2005). Photo: Courtesy of Joy Simmons
“Building a collection requires focus and understanding of the story that you’re trying to tell”
Joy Simmons
David Hammons "Spade"(1972) Photo: Courtesy of Joy Simmons
Taking action: Dedicated to fostering a healthy arts ecosystem, Simmons has served on the boards of the Santa Monica Museum of Art, Stanford University, and the California African American Museum; lends works to major museums; and acts as a mentor for the next generation of collectors. “Building a collection requires a focus and understanding of the story that you’re trying to tell. But to be a patron is to support the institutions and curators who are trying to tell the bigger story to a wider audience. It’s up to collectors to acknowledge the opportunity and their responsibility to share the work.”
Dream wish list: A monumental sculpture by Simone Leigh or Thomas J. Price. or a recent Mark Bradford.
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2023 Late Fall Issue under the headline “The Collectors.” Subscribe to the magazine.
Cover: In her living room, Joy Simmons displays a selection of works by Diedrick Brackens, Glenn Kaino, and Mickalene Thomas, among others.
Photo: OF Photo Studio
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