Guild Hall Unveils Two New Exhibitions — 'Functional Relationships' and 'Wading Room'

Guild Hall opened its 2025 exhibition season on Sunday, May 4, with the dynamic group exhibition, “Functional Relationships: Artist-Made Furniture,” and a site-specific environment, “Almond Zigmund: Wading Room,” both of which are on view through July 13.

Artists often come to be associated with specific mediums or bodies of work when in fact their practices are much more expansive. Visual artists are frequently also musicians, designers, performers, filmmakers, writers, furniture makers and so on. In “Functional Relationships,” an encounter with one of the couches made by John Chamberlain, an artist best known for his metal sculptures, can be surprising, but the reality is that artists integrate their studio practices into all their life activities.

This show focuses on East End artists who have produced functional furniture as an extension of their creative practices — as a means of problem-solving, as an element of designed living, and as a way to foster social spaces. “Functional Relationships: Artist-Made Furniture” presents work by Scott Bluedorn, John Chamberlain, Liz Collins, Quentin Curry, Peter Dayton, Connie Fox, Kurt Gumaer, Mary Heilmann, Yung Jake, Donald Judd, Julian Schnabel, Karen Simon, Strong-Cuevas, Mark Wilson, Robert Wilson, Evan Yee, Nico Yektai and Almond Zigmund.

In conjunction with “Functional Relationships,” Guild Hall commissioned two projects as further explorations of this common practice: Lindsay Morris’s photographs of interior spaces show how artists utilize furniture and shape their domestic environments, while Almond Zigmund’s installation “Wading Room” in the Marks Family South Gallery at Guild Hall provides an artist-designed environment for activation through public use and a series of programs.

Almond Zigmund makes large-scale site-responsive installations, discrete sculptures, works on paper and paintings that explore the interplay between space, perception and the built environment. Her work is characterized by crisp geometry, vivid colors and intricate patterns that often suggest walls, barricades, and enclosures. Zigmund is also the creator of the Artist & Writers series, family-style dinners at Almond Restaurant in Bridgehampton where people come together to dine and celebrate the artistic process. She has organized more than 65 gatherings to date. It is in this spirit of supporting the power of community engagement that Zigmund was invited to create a site-specific environment in conjunction with “Functional Relationships.”

“Wading Room” houses selections from Guild Hall’s permanent collection, functional, artist-made furniture for public use — including chairs designed by Zigmund in collaboration with Justin Allen (Shepard Co Design) — and other artist-made objects such as lighting, chairs, rugs, stools, vessels, and sculpture. The artists Sabra Moon Elliot, Kurt Gumaer, Saskia Friedrich, Karen Simon and Nico Yektai have also contributed to the space. A series of participatory public programs and collaborative projects will take place throughout the run of the exhibition.

Visitors to “Wading Room” are encouraged to linger, lounge and interact in an artist-designed environment and to visit often to explore its potential.

“We are thrilled to begin our 2025 season with this multi-generational group exhibition to highlight a fascinating practice which exemplifies the truly interdisciplinary nature of artists,” said Melanie Crader, Guild Hall’s museum director and curator of visual arts. The exhibitions are organized by Crader with Philippa Content, museum manager and registrar, and Claire Hunter, museum coordinator and curatorial associate.

Guild Hall is located at 158 Main Street in East Hampton. Galleries are open Wednesday to Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. For more information, visit guildhall.org.

Related Programming:

Zigmund’s Hook Up — Saturday, May 10, noon to 2 p.m.

Be part of a two-month-long communal latch hook rug mosaic that will evolve throughout the time the exhibition is on view. Upon its completion, the latch hook becomes part of the “Wading Room.” Free. Also offered Saturday, July 12, noon to 2 p.m.

Zigmund’s Show & Tell Session — Saturday, May 24, noon to 2 p.m.

Remember slides? Bring in yours or someone else’s (and carousels, if you’ve got them). Slides of old work, vacations — whatever they may be —and take a look together. Free.

“CHAIRS: A Conversation With Bob Wilson & Adrian Madlener” — Thursday, May 29, 7 p.m.

In Conversation: Lisa Perry & Almond Zigmund — Sunday, June 1, 2 p.m.

Join designer and collector Lisa Perry and artist Almond Zigmund for a discussion moderated by Melanie Crader highlighting Perry’s vision for Onna House, a creative hub dedicated to championing and amplifying the voices of women artists, alongside Zigmund’s “Wading Room.” $25.

Living With Chamberlain: A Conversation With Alexandra Fairweather — Sunday, June 22, 2 p.m.

A conversation with Alexandra Fairweather, director of the Chamberlain Estate, who will be joined by special guests for a discussion on the intersection of art, design and the impact of Chamberlain’s work.

Zigmund’s Wrap Session — Saturday, June 24, noon to 2 p.m.

Bring an object from home and during this session, convert it by wrapping it, painting it and embellishing it, ultimately obscuring its original use and bestowing upon it a new exalted purpose as art. $15.

Zigmund’s Chair Pose – BYOC —Saturday, June 28, noon to 2 p.m.

A collaborative drawing and design session. Bring in your own chair or sitting object (something portable). The group will look at the chairs, discuss how the design of a chair comes about and ultimately how chairs are born. Then the group will dream and collaborate to create the perfect chair. $15.