Pamela J. Joyner in front of works by Sam Gilliam (left) and William T. Williams from her collection.
Photo: Nathanael Turner
The Collectors: Pamela J. Joyner
The highly regarded art collector shares her home with important works by Mark Bradford, Glenn Ligon, Julie Mehretu, and more
Among the world’s most influential art collectors, Pamela J. Joyner and her husband, Alfred J. Giuffrida, oversee an expansive selection focused on artists of the global African diaspora, including works by Mark Bradford, Glenn Ligon, Julie Mehretu, Sam Gilliam, and Charles Gains. “Our goal is to play a part in telling of a fuller, more accurate, and inclusive art history,” says Joyner. “We look for breakthrough practitioners across the generations whose excellence and innovations in the field are transformational.” The couple, who launched a residency program in 2014, recently debuted a new partnership with the Nevada Museum of Art.
Living with art: “We have always hung the work in an unusually dense way because we like to have as much on view as possible. We open our homes for viewing and discussing the art to aid in making careers more visible and better understood.”
“I have always seen myself as a temporary steward of careers rather than an owner of specific works”
Pamela J. Joyner
Creating a legacy: “I have always seen myself as a temporary steward of careers rather than an owner of specific works. Due to that vantage point, I am acutely aware that one day I will part with the entire collection. Therefore, I see it as my obligation to plan effectively to put each work in the best possible hands.”
Recent acquisition: “My wish list is a perpetual work in progress. My latest dream work is one I commissioned from Sonia Gomes, which will be finished next year.”
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2024 Late Fall Issue under the headline “The Collectors.” Subscribe to the magazine.
Cover: Pamela J. Joyner in front of works by Sam Gilliam (left) and William T. Williams from her collection.
Photo: Nathanael Turner
