Southampton Arts Center Reopens

Upon receiving authorization from the Village of Southampton, the Town of Southampton and Suffolk County, Southampton Arts Center, located at 25 Jobs Lane in Southampton Village, reopened its galleries on Thursday, June 18, as part of New York State’s “Phase 2” reopening.

The exhibition that had been on view at SAC in March when the galleries closed, “TAKEOVER 2020! Artists-in-Residence,” has been extended and will now run through Sunday, July 12, with the galleries open Thursday to Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.

Additionally, a new Public Art Project has been planned for this summer. The sculptural installation, which will utilize the grounds on both the east and west sides of the iconic building, is a collaboration between SAC artistic director Amy Kirwin and artist Eric Fischl and it reflects both nature and the new normal of life during a pandemic.

The intention is not only to offer an open-air experience that welcomes guests to roam freely and safely, but to draw attention to artists who use nature and humanity as an inspiration for their work.

The exhibition will be on view from June 27 through September 13.

“We are grateful to have the support of all levels of local government in the reopening of our galleries,” said Tom Dunn, SAC’s executive director. “With the safety of our staff and patrons remaining our highest priority, we are pleased and excited to safely reopen our doors — both to stimulate and support our local economy and to inspire and raise the spirits of all members of our great and diverse community.”

Of the Public Art Project, artistic director Amy Kirwin said, “We have always wanted to highlight our beautiful grounds by installing artwork for the public to enjoy while taking advantage of the property, and it made perfect sense to pursue this now. When we decided to organize this exhibit, we didn’t know when we might reopen our galleries, and we wanted to provide a safe, open-air experience.

“Combining both sculpture and installation makes for a dynamic use of the landscape, and the artists chosen all have works that will be in conversation with and draw attention to the stunning natural surroundings and existing sculptural features,” she added. “And now that we have been given permission to reopen our galleries as well, we are excited to be able to offer two completely different viewing experiences to our visitors.”

SAC guests will be required to wear masks upon entering the galleries and will be expected to practice established social distancing guidelines. Gallery capacity will be limited, and SAC’s theater will remain closed until “Phase 4” of New York State’s Reopening.

“TAKEOVER! 2020” was conceived by Kirwin and participating artsits include Jodi Bentivegna, Michael Butler, Isadora Capraro, Franco Cuttica, Esly Escobar, Melinda Hackett, Erica-Lynn Huberty, Dinah Maxwell Smith, Miles Partington, and Kerry Sharkey-Miller.

The Public Art installation on the grounds includes works by artists Eric Fischl, Saskia Friedrich, Alice Hope, Bryan Hunt, Laurie Lambrecht, and Steve Miller. Many of the artist’s works on view are available for purchase. Visit southamptonartscenter.org.