In addition to barbecues at friends’ oceanfront homes, beachy rum cocktails at Sunset Beach, and ceviche at Coche Comedor, art is integral to the fabric of the Hamptons experience. With an array of art and design events woven throughout July and August, there is much to be celebrated and even more to be seen. From museum shows to lecture series and gallery openings, fun and educational events for people of all ages abound. For the philanthropic set, star-studded galas at spaces such as the Parrish Art Museum and the Watermill Center raise funds to support shows by emerging and established contemporary artists like Jean-Luc Mylayne and Lawrence Weiner, whose work will be making a splash out east this summer.
The Parrish Art Museum
One of the most prominent art museums in the Hamptons, the Parrish kicks off its summer festivities with its annual Midsummer Party on July 13, bringing together artists, art enthusiasts, and philanthropists to support the museum. Currently on view through July 28 are Thomas Joshua Cooper’s 49 photographs exploring the meaning of taking refuge, Jean-Luc Mylayne’s large-scale photographs juxtaposing nature and manmade elements, and Renate Aller’s dreamy prints that engage with romanticism, memory, and place.
279 Montauk Highway
Watermill, NY 11978
631-283-2118
parrishart.org
The LongHouse Reserve Sculpture Garden
On 16-acres in East Hampton, the LongHouse Reserve is home to a stunning collection of more than 60 sculptures, including works by Buckminster Fuller, Yoko Ono, and Willem de Kooning, among other artistic luminaries. Currently on view at this unique outdoor museum and garden is Stephen Talasnik’s ephemeral site-specific waterborne installation, “Echo,” and an interactive installation by Lawrence Weiner, “Out of Sight.”
133 Hands Creek Pond
East Hampton, NY 11937
631-329-3568
longhouse.org
Pollock-Krasner House
The longtime home and studio of Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner, the Pollock-Krasner House’s summer program offers lectures, family art workshops, tours, and exhibitions on the site of this National Historic Landmark. On July 28 the Annual John H. Marburger III Lecture hosts Ann Temkin, the chief curator of painting and sculpture at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, in a discussion about new collections at MoMA. August 1 marks the opening of Walter Plate: East End Abstractions. A contemporary of Pollock and Krasner, Plate created Abstract Expressionist seascapes that reflect his love of eastern Long Island, a place he called home for many years.
830 Springs-Fireplace Road
East Hampton, NY 11937
631-324-4929
stonybrook.edu
East End Culture Club
Opened this summer in Southampton by Clayton Calvert, East End Culture Club brings local, New York City–based, and international artists’ works to the Hamptons community. Currently on view through July 29 is Figurative Approaches, in which 10 Italian, Japanese, and American artists delve into representational imagery as a medium of communication. On August 3, EECC debuts its Landscapes show, which features Nigerian, Ukrainian, and American artists who seek new interpretations of landscapes and pastoral works. “In curating the summer program, I thought to explore various genres and methods for making works,” says Calvert. “Landscapes is the perfect way to finish that dialogue given the long-standing tradition the genre has in art. It expands the conversation and leaves room for further exploration.”
95 Main Street (downstairs)
Southampton, NY 11956
917-981-5723
eastendcultureclub.com
The Dan Flavin Art Institute
Housed in a 1908 Bridgehampton firehouse, this space renovated and opened by artist Dan Flavin in 1983 holds a permanent exhibit of nine iconic works that Flavin created between 1963 and 1981. This summer the institute features new works by conceptual abstractionist Jaqueline Humphries. A compelling mix of gestural painting and contemporary technological interventions, Humphries’ multilayered works disorient and mesmerize at once. While the artist is best known for her paintings, this exhibit shines a light on her engaging sculptural practice as well. Carefully arranged neon objects glow brightly in the dark, providing viewers with a cool respite.
- Architecture + DesignStep Inside June Diane Raphael and Paul Scheer’s Character-Filled Los Feliz Home
23 Corwith Avenue
Bridgehampton, NY 11932
diaart.org
The Watermill Center
Theater director Robert Wilson founded the Watermill Center in 1992 to bring experimental artistic practice to the Hamptons. Spanning 10 acres of forested Shinnecock land, the Watermill Center is home to an artist-in-residency program, a wide-ranging collection of more than 8,000 objects, a rich education program, and more. Stop by for a guided tour of the building, grounds, art collection, and study library, or visit for the “Viewpoints” lecture series, which includes a talk with Warhol Superstar Penny Arcade on August 1 and Isabella Rossellini on August 6.
39 Water Mill Towd Road
Water Mill, NY 11976
631-726-4628
watermillcenter.org
Eric Firestone Gallery
Opened in 2010, Eric Firestone Gallery in East Hampton is committed to helping rewrite art history. By spotlighting historical artists who have been overlooked, often alongside those who haven’t, Firestone offers a wealth of discoveries spanning the postwar era. On view through July 15, Shape, Rattle & Roll features a cleverly curated selection of works by 14 artists including Miriam Schapiro, Sanford Biggers, Joe Overstreet, and Bev Fishman.
4 Newtown Lane
East Hampton, NY 11937
631-604-2386
ericfirestonegallery.com
The Fireplace Project
On July 12 this East Hampton art gallery hosts the opening reception for Intervention: With Maynard Monrow & Material Lust (Lauren Larson and Christian Swafford), a two-artist exhibition running through August 5. Its reception for Lee Relvas and Andrew Brischler is on August 10. The gallery is open on Saturdays and Sundays.
851 Springs Fireplace Road
East Hampton, NY 11937
631-324-4666
thefireplaceproject.com
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