The Jake and Ruth Bloom Collection, 10 October 2024 < Auctions

Thomas Ruff Studio, Portrait of Jacob Bloom

Thomas Ruff Studio, Portrait of Ruth Bloom

Voracious art lovers and philanthropists, Ruth and Jacob "Jake" Bloom together emerged as leading collectors and supporters of contemporary art in Los Angeles. On October 10th, LAMA is proud to present The Jake and Ruth Bloom Collection, a remarkable selection of works that showcases the Blooms' savvy and intrepid approach to collecting across more than five decades, with major works from Robert Longo, Marilyn Minter, Gregory Crewdson, Jonathan Borofsky, Paul McCarthy, and Vito Acconci, among many others.

A legendary entertainment lawyer, Jake was a founding member of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA) Los Angeles and, as a gallerist, Ruth would give many major artists—including Gregory Crewdson—early, career-defining exhibitions. From a monumental installation by Alfredo Jaar to recent works by emerging artists, this offering spans painting, photography, sculpture, and more for a singular encapsulation of the Blooms' ethos and influence.

Jonathan Borofsky Head in Trees $15,000–20,000

Vito Acconci Overstuffed Chair $630

An Incisive Eye: Photographs by Gregory Crewdson

Gregory Crewdson

Untitled (Vanity) (from the Beneath the Roses series)

estimate: $25,000–35,000

Gregory Crewdson

Untitled (Pregnant Woman/Pool) (from the Twilight series)

estimate: $10,000–15,000

result: $20,160

Gregory Crewdson

Untitled (Yankee Septic Emergency) (from the Twilight series)

estimate: $8,000–12,000

result: $10,080

Gregory Crewdson

Untitled (Mound of Butterflies)

estimate: $3,000–5,000

result: $4,032

Sharpening the Edge

The Contemporary Art Legacy of Jake and Ruth Bloom

Married in 1965, Ruth and Jacob “Jake” Bloom purchased their first piece of art together in 1966—a Renoir print given as a gift to their inlaws. Over the course of the decades that followed, the couple would emerge as leading collectors and supporters of contemporary art in Los Angeles, voracious art lovers and philanthropists whose generosity and genuine passion for avant-garde artists helped shape the cultural cutting edge. Reflecting their deep involvement in post-World War II creative movements, The Jake and Ruth Bloom Collection features major works from Robert Longo, Marilyn Minter, Gregory Crewdson, among many others, and showcases the Blooms’ savvy, intrepid, and influential approach to the field of contemporary art.

“We inhaled art,” Jake once said. “We ended up with some very, very significant pieces in our collection.”

While the term “power couple” might get thrown around, it is an apt descriptor for the Blooms: Jake was a legendary entertainment lawyer, who counted Martin Scorsese, George Lucas, and Jerry Bruckheimer among his clients. Bloom was among the founding members of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA) Los Angeles, where Ruth would also serve on the board for more than a decade. Indeed, the pair would establish MoCA’s Ruth and Jake Bloom Young Artist Fund, which would help the institution acquire works from new emergent artists at pivotal moments in their careers. “We inhaled art,” Jake once said. “We ended up with some very, very significant pieces in our collection.”