Hamptons Fine Art Fair Returns to Southampton

Original pieces by Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Vincent Van Gogh, Norman Rockwell, Andy Warhol and hundreds of other artists will be for sale at the Southampton Fairgrounds as part of the fourth annual Hamptons Fine Arts Fair, which runs July 13 to 16.

The 70,000 square foot complex at the fairgrounds will be filled with Hamptons Fine Arts Fair booths occupied by over 100 galleries from 14 different countries. Rick Friedman — the executive director of the fair — said in a recent interview that the vast amount of artwork, combined with the high quality of the art, makes walking through the fair feel like walking through a museum that is two blocks long.

“This is outrageous,” Friedman said. “It does not get better than this.”

Around 15 years ago, Friedman began his involvement in the art world with his creation of a previous East End art fair — ArtHamptons. Explaining that he believed in the need for world class art shows, he took this concept all around the United States. ArtHamptons evolved into including ArtAspen, the Houston Fine Art Fair, Palm Springs Fine Art Fair and others. Friedman eventually sold the business in 2015 to a major international media conglomerate, and retired.

“I have been around a long time, and I know a lot of people,” Friedman said. “I think that the art galleries around the world have a respect for the Hamptons. Hamptonites are looking to buy beautiful pieces for their beautiful homes.”

Friedman’s vast network in the art industry did not allow him to remain retired for long, however. When people on the East End expressed a need for a good art fair in the Hamptons, Friedman found himself pulled out of retirement. He explained that there is a demand for art here and he has committed himself to helping curate a unique and remarkable collection of works for sale through the Hamptons Fine Art Fair.

“The level of art that we have here is extraordinary,” Friedman said. “This is like shopping at the MoMa. We have some of the most important art in all of America.”

When interacting with paintings by renowned artists, it is hard to believe that every item at the fair will be for sale. Friedman said that when the producers of the fair are advising galleries about what art to bring to the fair, they look for a sweet spot of pieces that sell for between $30,000 and $50,000. However, there will be hundreds of works at the fair in many other price points, with some pieces going for $10,000 and others for $10 million.

During the decision process, Friedman noted that a large amount of work goes into curating which artwork and which galleries will be invited to display and sell art at this fair. Friedman explained that he and the producers of the fair have a conversation with representatives of each gallery about the quality of their art and artists. They ask questions — whether this is an institution of note, if their artists are of note, if the gallery is getting press, and the price points of the pieces this gallery would be selling — in deciding whether the gallery should be invited to take part in the fair. After determining which galleries will be invited, the producers and gallery representatives engage in a strategy session.

“We have a talk with the owner of the gallery,” Friedman explained. “They do not know what will sell in the Hamptons, so we have a strategy session on what art and artists they should bring.

“It is an interactive process, and all in all, we feel like we have a pretty good starting lineup.”

Friedman and the producers of the fair are proud of the work they have done over the past year to curate what they believe is an extraordinary collection of art. Thursday, July 13, will be the opening night of the Hamptons Fine Arts Fair, which is referred to as “The VIP Vernissage.” This is a night to benefit Guild Hall, the nonprofit visual and performing arts venue located in East Hampton.

“It’s a great institution. They have focused on the ground zero for East Hampton artists. They have a great collection and I admire them,” Friedman said of Guild Hall.

This local cultural institution highlights the artistic history of East Hampton, and it is Guild Hall’s dedication to the town that motivates events like the Hamptons Fine Arts Fair to donate and support their work.

The Hamptons Fine Art Fair will present booths full of artworks from a variety of artists in a variety of price ranges. Friedman said that they estimate the value of all the art at the fair to amount to over 150 million dollars.

This fair is unique in the scope of art that it concentrates into a single artistic event. There will be booths specific to one gallery or artist, and some booths will center their focus on a specific theme.

One of these booths will be the original paintings of The Saturday Evening Post covers (1908-1962), and pays tribute to Norman Rockwell. The Illustrated Gallery will bring his original paintings that ran as the covers for The Saturday Evening Post. Between 1916 and 1963, Rockwell painted 323 for the magazine. One of his covers, “The Dugout,” depicts members of the Chicago Cubs with faces coated in defeat, painted in response to the team’s disastrous 1948 season. Friedman described “The Dugout” as one of the most famous images of 20th century Americana. This specific painting will be for sale at around $8 million.

Another gallery — MS Rau — is bringing such a vast amount of art that Friedman said they are practically creating a whole museum at the fair. Works by Picasso, Monet, Van Gogh, and other famous impressionist artists will be on view at the MS Rau booth and for sale. In fact, everything at the fair is for sale, including displays of jewelry and other items.

“There will be treasures for every budget level,” Friedman said. “And even if someone is not looking to buy, it’s still fun to look around.”

Friedman said that he expects there to be 12,000 guests in attendance over the course of the fair. To accommodate these several thousand visitors, the fair will have three bars and two gourmet mobile restaurants. People can meet each other and the artists there, network and enjoy food and drink.

“I want my fellow Hamptonites to enjoy themselves and I hope everyone falls in love,” Friedman said.

The Hamptons Fine Art Fair runs Thursday, July 13, to Sunday, July 16, at Southampton Fairgrounds, 605 County Road 39, Southampton. The show begins on July 13, 6 to 9:30 p.m., with the VIP Opening Night Vernissage benefiting Guild Hall. On Bastille Day, Friday, July 14, the mid-summer Tea Dance and LGBTQ+ fundraiser will be held at the Krasner Café at the fair. On Saturday, July 15, five local artists chosen by the fair committee will be inducted into the Hamptons Fine Art Fair 2023 Hall of Fame: Fay Lansner (Keyes Gallery, Sag Harbor), Cornelia Foss (MMFine Art, Southampton), Tony Rosenthal (T. Rosenthal Art, Southampton), John Ferren (Findlay Galleries, New York City) and Hans Van De Bovenkamp (RL Studios, Charlotte, North Carolina).

Show hours are noon to 9 p.m. on Friday, and noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $45 for daily general admission, $200 for a VIP pass. For the full schedule and tickets, visit hamptonsfineartfair.com.