Collector and Philanthropist Pamela J. Joyner THE J. PAUL GETTY TRUST announced the addition of Pamela J. Joyner to its board of trustees in February 2017. The influential philanthropist and art collector accepted the opportunity for one reason. She was intrigued by the possibilities of an ambitious idea the Getty Research Institute (GRI) was pursuing. How could it use its resources not to just amplify, but to transform the capacity and possibilities for research in the field of African American art? In September, about a year-and-a-half after Joyner joined the board, GRI announced a $5 million African American Art History Initiative designed to establish the Getty as a major center for the study of African American art history. The news also included a major acquisition announcement. The expansive archives of Los Angeles artist Betye Saar, which span 1926 to the present, have been entrusted to GRI. What began as a high-minded vision has been organized into a comprehensive program dedicated to collecting, studying, and disseminating African American art history. Andrew Perchuk, acting director of GRI, said Joyner played a key role in making the idea for the initiative a reality. He said, “It’s something we’ve been talking about for […]
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