Guild Hall Hosts Final Two Exhibitions In 2021 - 27 East

Arts & Living

Arts & Living / 1828408

Guild Hall Hosts Final Two Exhibitions In 2021

icon 3 Photos
Jeff Muhs,

Jeff Muhs, "Decommissioned Shoe," 2012. Concrete and Manolo Blahnik shoe. 4.5" x 10" x 24". Courtesy of Roger Ferris.

David Salle

David Salle "High and Low," 1994. Color lithographs and woodcut on two sheets of paper Gift of the artist.

Roy Lichtenstein

Roy Lichtenstein "Brushstroke Still Life with Coffee Pot," 1997, 23 color screenprint on honeycomb-core aluminum panel. Gift of Dorothy Lichtenstein.

authorStaff Writer on Oct 26, 2021

Guild Hall’s final two exhibitions of 2021 are “90 Years: Selections from the Permanent Collection” in the Moran and Woodhouse galleries and a selection of works by the winner of the 2018 Artist Members Exhibition, “Jeff Muhs: The Uncanny Valley” in the Spiga Gallery. Both exhibitions open Saturday, October 30, and run through January 2, 2022. The public is invited to stop by on Saturday, October 30, from 3 to 5 p.m., for a “meet the artists” open house. Galleries are open Friday to Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.

Museum director and chief curator Christina Mossaides Strassfield has curated “90 Years: Selections from the Permanent Collection” in celebration of Guild Hall’s founding on August 19, 1931. The exhibition will feature a selection of paintings, sculptures, photographs and works on paper showcasing Guild Hall’s commitment to collecting artists of the eastern end of Long Island. The exhibition will include works by Ross Bleckner, John Chamberlain, Chuck Close, Elaine de Kooning, Willem de Kooning, Eric Fischl, Audrey Flack, Jane Freilicher, April Gornik, Robert Gwathmey, Mary Heilman, Jasper Johns, Lee Krasner, Barbara Kruger, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Motherwell, Alfonso Ossorio, Jackson Pollock, Robert Rauschenberg, David Salle, Andy Warhol, Jane Wilson, and many more.

“We are so thrilled to be able to showcase 90 works from our collection of nearly 2,500 works,” says Strassfield. “Guild Hall’s Permanent Collection is a testament to the vibrant art community that continues to exist to this day. Every group of artists from all art movements from the 19th century and beyond has included artists who have made the East End their desired destination. And as an institution whose mission includes a focus on exhibiting and collecting artists who have lived and worked on Eastern Long Island, we are a repository for a microcosm of art history.”

After a postponement due to the pandemic, Jeff Muhs: The Uncanny Valley, will open on October 30, in tandem with the Permanent Collection exhibition. As a local multidisciplinary artist, Muhs has worked in a variety of mediums and genres. In 2018, he participated in Guild Hall’s annual Artist Members Exhibition where he received the Top Honors award for his concrete sculpture “Callipyge,” selected by Connie Choi, associate curator at The Studio Museum of Harlem. The prize for the recipient of the top honor is a solo exhibition in the Spiga Gallery.

“The Uncanny Valley” originates from a sculptural process the artist calls “Dynamic Free Casting.” By discovering this method, the artist has developed new means for forming concrete, all while embracing its inherent fluidity and weight. By pushing the physical limits of the materials as well as his own ability to manipulate, he has discovered a personal source of infinite creativity.

“‘The Uncanny Valley’ is a hypothesized relationship between the degree of an objects’ resemblance to a human being and the emotional response to such an object,“ says Muhs, whose studio is in Southampton. “For me, ‘The Uncanny Valley’ was the moment when I first saw the results of my concrete sculpture as flesh. What had previously been an exploration of more architectural forms, by manor of my process, presented itself as flesh-like. I have been participating in the Guild Hall Artist Members Exhibition for about 25 years. I see it as a great focal point for our creative community. An opportunity for camaraderie and to share our artistic expressions with one another. It is a great honor to have been chosen as the Top Honors recipient for my sculpture and to be awarded the opportunity to exhibit at this cultural institution, so rich in the history of our local artistic community and 20th century art.”

“I am incredibly pleased to be curating ‘Jeff Muhs: The Uncanny Valley’ as I have known Jeff for 31 years and have watched his work evolve,” said Strassfield. “He is a Renaissance artist — equally talented as a painter, sculptor and furniture designer. Jeff has been included in past exhibitions at Guild Hall, and we are very happy to have one of his works in our Permanent Collection.”

Guild Hall is at 158 Main Street, East Hampton. For information on both shows and to see the full schedule of events, visit guildhall.org.

You May Also Like:

HamptonsFilm Appoints Richard N. Gladstein Executive Director; David Nugent Promoted to Chief Creative Officer

HamptonsFilm has appointed two-time Academy Award-nominated producer Richard N. Gladstein as its new executive director. David Nugent, who has led programming at the organization since 2007, has been promoted to chief creative officer. Gladstein will report to HamptonsFilm co-chairs Alec Baldwin and Randy Mastro, while Nugent will report to Gladstein. Gladstein, a veteran producer and educator, will oversee all strategic planning and year-round programming for HamptonsFilm and its annual Hamptons International Film Festival. His role will focus on enhancing community engagement, expanding industry partnerships and increasing the festival’s national and international visibility. “We are delighted to welcome Richard as our ... 17 Jul 2025 by Staff Writer

Round and About for July 17, 2025

Music & Nightlife Mysteries, Deceptions and Illusions Allan Zola Kronzek, a sleight-of-hand artist, will perform ... by Staff Writer

Pop Art Star Nelson De La Nuez Headlines ‘Red Carpet’ Exhibition at East Hampton’s White Room Gallery

The White Room Gallery will present its latest exhibition, “Red Carpet,” from July 16 through ... by Staff Writer

Accordion Meets Improv: Sam Reider and the Human Hands To Perform on Shelter Island

Shelter Island Friends of Music continues its 2025 season with a free concert by composer, ... by Staff Writer

Artist Sean Scully Speaks at the Parrish Art Museum in Conjunction With 'Sean Scully: The Albee Barn, Montauk'

The Parrish Art Museum will present a special artist talk with internationally acclaimed painter Sean ... by Staff Writer

Let's Get Down to Business!

Get the back-history of East Hampton Village’s commercial district presented by East Hampton historian Hugh King and The Anchor Society founder Bess Rattray in a talk at East Hampton Library on Friday, July 18, at 6 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. What kinds of colorful, quirky, practical, and whimsical shops could be found “upstreet” in the decades before Prada, Vuitton and Valentino arrived? What was the business district’s retail culture like for shoppers 50 or 100 years ago? Travel back in time for a fun and informative virtual “walking tour” — with archival images, personal recollections, and video — ... by Staff Writer

At the Galleries for July 17, 2025

Montauk The Depot Art Gallery, at the Montauk railroad station at the corner of Flamingo ... by Staff Writer

Christopher Engel's First Exhibition Since Cancer Diagnosis: Radiance — The Light Within

Sitting in his East Hampton office at the Ross School last week, Christopher Engel reflected ... by Hope Hamilton

Hampton Theatre Company Launches Season 41 in October

The Hampton Theatre Company will kick off its 41st season this fall with a lineup of four productions, continuing the momentum from a landmark anniversary year. All performances will take place at the company’s longtime home at Quogue Community Hall. The 2025 to 2026 season includes “The Thanksgiving Play” (October 16 to November 2), “A Christmas Carol: A Live Radio Play” (December 12 to 14), the musical “I Do! I Do!” (March 12 to 29), and the fast-paced comic thriller “The 39 Steps” (May 21 to June 7). The season opens with “The Thanksgiving Play” by Larissa FastHorse, a satirical ... 15 Jul 2025 by Staff Writer

Animated by Art: Marionette-Making Workshop Series at the Leiber Collection

In the weeks ahead, the Leiber Collection will host “Animated by Art,” a marionette-making workshop ... by Staff Writer