'Hand Made: Guitars According to G.E. Smith & The American Artists’ Hand Archive' To Open at The Church

On the heels of “Threading the Needle,” The Church in Sag Harbor is ready to open a new exhibition based on a different kind of maker-culture, showcasing 16 rare and classic guitars alongside a collection of 31 bronze cast sculptures depicting the hands of visual artists. “Hand Made: Guitars According to G.E. Smith & The American Artists’ Hand Archive” will open with a reception on Thursday, October 6, from 6 to 8 p.m. and will remain on view through December 22.

Renowned musician G.E. Smith has selected acoustic and electric guitars, dating from 1810 to 1992, many from his own personal collection, offering insight into what he looks for and values in the instruments.

The bronze hands are a part of an on-going series by Vanessa Hoheb and Thomas Donahue, The American Artist’s Hand Archive, and includes the hands of artists Jasper Johns, Martin Puryear, Maya Lin, Titus Kaphar, Beverly Pepper, Robert Indiana, Mary Frank, William Tucker and many others.

Smith, Hoheb, and Donahue will work with The Church’s Chief Curator, Sara Cochran, to install these objects in an integrated exhibition on the Mezzanine level of the building.

“This is an important exhibition for The Church given our belief that creativity is something that is open to everyone,” said Cochran. “It provides a unique opportunity for our visitors to look through the eyes of G.E. Smith and study the hands of many well-known artists – integral tools of their remarkable careers. Illustrating that any creative practice is both a mental and a physical exercise, these objects demonstrate the dedication of artists and the ways that the artistic and imaginative activities influence our bodies and our lives.”

The exhibition will be accompanied by a rich series of events and programs. Highlights include an intimate concert by G.E. Smith and Jorma Kaukonen on December 15, and an Insight Sunday with Vanessa Hoheb and Thomas Donahue during which the public will be able to handle the hands, followed by a live public hand casting with a celebrated artist of Hoheb and Donahue’s choosing.

For more information, visit thechurchsagharbor.org.