Jack started collecting art and books about art and artists in his early twenties. Over the past 45 years, he has built up arguably the most formidable collection of artist books in Africa. But Jack, an accountant by trade, hasn’t kept his treasures or his passion for South African art to himself. He established The Ampersand Foundation which rewards excellence in the visual arts by granting Ampersand Fellowship Awards to young professional South African contemporary visual artists and arts administrators. These prestigious awards enable artists to visit New York and its great museums and galleries, thereby benefiting the artist’s career development. The Awards offer recipients a funded two month residency at the Ampersand apartment in New York. The fund also supports local artists by buying their artwork and donating it to museums and galleries. More recently, Jack helped with funding and fundraising for the new Wits Art Museum after it was forced to vacate its original premises, leaving the art works languishing in a dusty basement. He continues to support the museum by purchasing and donating works of art for their collection. Jack also helps fund the Artist Proof Studio – an innovative and engaged community printmaking centre in Newtown, Johannesburg. Jack has provided fellowships for four of their artists, sending them to New York on what he calls a “mind expanding holiday!�

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