As we bow out of July 4th, we turn our appreciative gaze towards another sparkling Catherine Wheel, the ebullient philanthropist, energetic athlete, art collector and mischief-maker, Liz Swig. Liz generously opened the doors of her stunning Park Avenue apartment to Paddle8 to offer a tour of her impressive collection, which began 25 years ago with a work by Cindy Sherman, which hangs prominently above the mantle in her study. A close friend of many acclaimed artists, including Gary Hume, David Salle and Tom Sachs, she makes regular trips to artists’ studios. This summer Creative Time decided to honor Liz’s ceaseless devotion to the art world at their annual benefit, where she was joined by friends, including Anne Pasternak, Courtney Love, Cindy Sherman, Tom Sachs, Bob Shaye, Amy Phelan, Andre Balazs and Michael Stipe.
The works in Liz’s collection are peppered with the occasional childhood art-class relic by one of her two boys, whose influence is further noticed in the abundant ‘munchy’ bowls of M&M’s and jelly-beans. Pride of place is given to the Mike Kelly, which Liz marvels at while striking her sun salutation, and to the Gober, which raises a curious smirk to any guest entering the room. The resulting tone of the assembled works, is one of playfulness and joviality. She hopes to someday own a Felix Gonzalez Torres or Charles Ray, although her love of the Brancusi-Serra exhibition at Basel’s Beyeler Museum this summer, may lend another couple of names to the list. Her top pick from Glenn O’Brien’s show at Paddle8 is Marilyn Minter’s “Back of Tom Ford’s Head”, to which she adds with her signature wit, “It’s always better from behind.”