Architects Share Insights On The Parrish’s 10th Anniversary

In celebration of its 10th anniversary in Water Mill, the Parrish Art Museum is hosting a conversation between Ascan Mergenthaler and Philip Schmerbeck of Herzog & de Meuron, and Hank Willis Thomas, presenting artist and co-curator of the exhibition “Another Justice: US is Them — Hank Willis Thomas | For Freedoms.” Moderated by Museum Executive Director Mónica Ramírez-Montagut, who holds a Ph.D. in architecture, the discussion will explore the relationship between the museum’s design from the architects’ perspective, as well as from the viewpoint of an artist curating and exhibiting work in the space. The event, on Saturday, September 3, at 3 p.m., is open to the public and will take place on the Parrish’s terrace, weather permitting (alternative location will be in the Lichtenstein Theater).

Herzog & de Meuron’s design of the Parrish integrates architecture and landscape in a plan that both respects and reflects the singular natural beauty and rich artistic legacy of the East End. Sited on a 14-acre meadow of indigenous grasses that refers to the natural landscape of the region, the purpose-built structure suggests the vernacular architecture of sheds and barns that for generations doubled as artist workspaces. The designers used the artist’s studio as a starting point for a single gallery space by distilling the studio’s proportions and adopting its simple house section.

The siting of the building was determined by the placement of north-facing skylights in the galleries — the Parrish is one of the few museums in the U.S. that incorporates natural light. The east-west orientation, diagonal within the site, generates dramatically changing perspective views of the building and further emphasizes the building’s extreme yet simple proportions.

The construction of the museum reflects readily accessible materials and local building methods. The exterior concrete walls function as long bookends to the overall building form, while their grand scale is tempered with a continuous bench allowing visitors to experience the landscape. Large overhangs running the full length of the building provide shelter for the museum’s outdoor porches and terraces.

In the exhibition “Another Justice: US is Them,” on view through November 6, Thomas along with other featured artists adopt dynamic and responsive approaches to activate the full volume of the architectural space. Thomas’s wall-sized works made from deconstructed flags envelop the gallery space in fabric. In the spine gallery, Christine Sun Kim creates an immersive pathway between the galleries with bold, vibrant notations from the American Sign Language. Outdoors on the building exterior and grounds, Thomas activates the museum’s southern-facing façade with a 55-foot neon sign clearly visible from the highway. Muna Malik’s 20-foot long mirrored acrylic boat sited in the museum’s meadow entices visitors to venture into and explore the landscape.

Tickets for the talk are $12 (free for members). The Parrish Art Museum is at 279 Montauk Highway, Water Mill. Visit parrishart.org for details.