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It’s as predictable as summer. Every year, new galleries sprout on the East End while others disappear quietly over the winter. Bridgehampton leads the pack this year in gallery additions, with Southampton and Sag Harbor following right behind and galleries in Westhampton and Riverhead maintaining the same count and management as last year.
If the past offers any window on the present, there’s still time for new gallery spaces and alternative venues to pop up everywhere. So far, these are just some of the changes taking place from Southampton to Montauk.
Southampton added three new galleries and saw some switching around. New galleries are 4 North Main, Karyn Mannix Contemporary and HK hamburg kennedy gallery summer salon.
4 North Main is an artist space for hire that features changing exhibitions located at—where else?—4 North Main Street in Southampton (4nmaingallery.com). Exhibiting artists have included Paton Miller, Michael Patterson and Joe Strand. On August 21, art dealer Leonard Barton opens the group show, “Exploring Mediums,” which will be offered in conjunction with concerts, art lectures, poetry readings and other events.
Karyn Mannix Contemporary at Hampton Road Gallery is located at 36 Hampton Road (631-377-3235). The gallery represents a stable of contemporary artists and events that combine different artistic mediums are part of Ms. Mannix’s vision. These include poetry slams, musical jams, performance art and more. Hampton Road Gallery owner Peter Marcelle, meanwhile, is focusing on his private art dealing business.
HK hamburg kennedy gallery summer salon opened last weekend at 64-66 Jobs Lane. The salon presents photographs from established masters with a selection of affordable art. Photography stars include Andy Warhol, Bert Stern, Peter Beard, Massimo Vitali and others. The gallery’s primary location is in New York (hkphotographs.com).
The Keszler Gallery moved a few doors down to 9 Main Street. The gallery exhibits renowned photographers at its Southampton and Manhattan galleries.
Tripoli Gallery of Contemporary Art in Southampton has added an alternative exhibition space through August. The solo show, “Felix Bonilla Gerena: Loves of Bajura,” remains on view through August 8 at Old Stone Boys Club, 938 Montauk Highway in Water Mill. The building formerly housed cars.
Sag Harbor has seen quite a few changes and picked up three new galleries. Closed since last season are The Gallery and Cuca Romley’s Winter Tree Gallery. Both were located in a single building on Main Street. Gallery Merz decided to exit the fine art business while retaining its framing operation. The gallery at 95 Main Street will also offer jewelry and artifacts.
Keyes Art on Bay Street is not reopening this summer. Ms. Keyes continues to collaborate with Kimberly Goff and returns this summer to 1 Leecon Court in Southampton in the Benson-Keyes Art concern. They will hold weekend art exhibitions and events through the season. (631-523-5157)
The Christy’s Art Building on Madison is the new summer location for Rizzoli Bookstore at Empire Gallery. Walk Tall Gallery can now be found in Empire’s former home at 197 Madison Street. The gallery, formerly located in East Hampton, exhibits local and international artists and offers framing.
The Grenning Gallery moved from 90 Main Street to 17 Washington Street. Taking over its space is the Richard J. Demato Fine Arts Gallery, which opened in September 2009. The gallery focuses on narrative figurative work with a special emphasis on magic realism. The gallery also holds fund-raising art events to benefit charities including Fountain House and The Retreat, which Mr. Demato serves as board vice president.
Directly above the Grenning Gallery is the new Hooke Sculpture Gallery. Launched by Robert and David Hooke, the gallery exhibits only contemporary sculpture, with an emphasis on impressionistic figurative work (hookegallery.com).
Gallery director Robert Hooke formerly ran a sculpture-only gallery in London before relocating to Sag Harbor. As an artist, he’s exhibited in Europe, South Africa, Australia and other locations.
Bridgehampton gained four new art galleries. Kathryn Markel Fine Arts opened in June at 2418 Montauk Highway. The gallery opened its New York location in 1975 (markelfinearts.com) and continues to present “significant and affordable art” with an emphasis on contemporary abstract painting and works on paper. The Bridgehampton gallery, Ms. Markel said, is meant to be a fun space that celebrates the joy of painting. (631-613-6386).
The Bridgehampton Historical Society opened its Archival Center at 2539-A Montauk Highway and began exhibiting art there on July 3. Cynthia Lowen is curating a lineup of featured artists in rotating shows of two weeks duration. The Bell’Arte Group arranged the season and work by its members will remain on view though September 7. Mary Gardner, who works for the Bridgehampton Historical Society, will be a permanent featured artist. The new venue is open daily. (bridgehamptonhistoricalsociety.org).
Also opening in Bridgehampton are Lucille Khornak Photography Gallery and notagallery.com. Lucille Khornak has devoted one wall to changing art photography exhibits at its new Main Street gallery. The balance of the space showcases Ms. Khornak’s commissioned portraits (www.lucillekhornak.com).
The pop-up notagallery.com launched its new space at Bulls Head Barn at the intersection of Main Street and Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Turnpike on July 3. Notagallery showcases graphic artist Justin Belmont’s pop art. The work is designed to be affordable and is priced by the inch. Twelve images are presented in the current show; each is a limited edition with others available online. The space is open Friday through Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. through September.
In Wainscott, Bose Pacia New York opened up an outpost at Murphy and Dine to preview a show opening in September in the city, “Material Witness,” with new works by Bari Kumar and Mondongo. The preview runs through July 28.
Amagansett and Montauk have one new gallery each. Studio Montauk at 552 West Lake Drive will be rotating group shows of contemporary local artists all summer.
WhiteWash Studio on the second floor of 249 Main Street in Amagansett opened May 22. The gallery, the brainchild of artist Jesse Elliott, presents work by emerging artists and independent designers in which the artist’s presence can be felt. Events and art happenings are an integral part of the lineup.
East Hampton nets one gallery loss from its scene, with one new addition and two subtractions. Closing its doors since last season is the Spanierman Gallery in East Hampton. The longtime art gallery family continues to present art in two New York venues.
The Eric Firestone Gallery has taken over the space of the short-lived Louis K. Meisel Gallery at 4 Newtown Lane (the NY Meisel gallery continues). Eric Firestone Gallery exhibits modern and contemporary art and design. Each month-long show has an unexpected twist to surprise viewers and add a dash of play. Eric Firestone Gallery has another location in Tucson, Arizona. (ericfirestonegallery.com).
on Jul 13, 2010