Artsy alumna brings gallery to Armory Show

Switching coasts, opening a gallery, and showing at the Armory Show all in one year seems an impossible task, but not for Claudia Altman-Siegel, BC ’95.

Altman-Siegel moved from New York to San Francisco last year and opened her eponymous gallery Altman Siegel. Altman-Siegel is participating in this year’s Armory Show—no small feat for the owner of a one-year-old establishment. “There’s a limited number of spaces here, and it’s very competitive to get in. So basically, galleries apply from all over the world, and then they want to be here for this week because people really make a lot of money here,” she said.

Altman-Siegel emphasized that her time at Barnard, particularly her interactions with the city, were critical in furthering her career. “I interned for an artist when I was at Barnard. … I went to see galleries all the time and I had a subscription to Artforum, and I feel like I was sort of immersed in the art world from maybe my sophomore year.“

After she graduated, Altman-Siegel couldn’t find a job right away, so she worked as a security guard until a better position opened up. She then spent 10 years at Luhring Augustine gallery in New York, until she started Altman Siegel in San Francisco.

Altman-Siegel focuses on bringing the work of a specific category of young artists to her gallery. “They’re [the artists] probably in their early 30s, and they’re showing in the biennials in various cities, and they’re starting museum shows but they’re not household names yet. ... They’re still kind of at the beginning of their careers,” she said.

One such artist is Matt Keegan, who received a Master of Fine Arts degree from Columbia’s School of the Arts in 2004. “I’ve known Matt for a long time as a friend, and when I opened the gallery, I wanted to work with him as an artist because I think he’s very promising,” Altman-Siegel said.

Altman-Siegel’s career path is an example of how early immersion in the art world can pay off. Her advice for students who want to get involved in the art scene is, “intern, intern, intern.”

She stresses that students should not let the resources that New York offers pass them by. “It’s probably obvious, but go to galleries and go get involved. You guys are lucky enough to have the resources of the whole art world right at your fingertips, and so go to Chelsea and see every single show,” she said. “Start learning what’s out there, and you’ll be so far ahead of anyone else from school anywhere else, just because you have that right there.”