Bridgehampton - Art has been the particular focus over the past several weeks of July in the Hamptons with several gallery artist openings and expositions. One such exposition was artMRKT Hamptons and its first foray into the East End art scene proved to be quite a success.

Held on the grounds of the Bridgehampton Historical Society, the four day event drew several thousand art lovers and collectors. The opening night reception was in support of Southampton Hospital complete with an open bar, VIP lounge, delicious drinks by Chandon, and walking hors d'oeuvres.

Artist Alexis Laurent explaining his installation, "Billboard." (Douglas Harrington)

Featuring over 35 galleries and more than 100 established and emerging artists, artMRKT created a venue that was as esthetically pleasing as it was stunningly presentational, giving a visual space and a framework within that space for art lovers to relish, in Hemingway's words, "a moveable feast."

Depending on one's taste and sensibilities, a turned corner might inspire or incense, leave one breathless or baffled, stunned or shocked. The variety of works and mediums were indeed impressive, with literally something for everyone.

Co-founding partner of artMRKT Jeffrey Wainhouse explained the importance of the charitable aspect of his exposition, "It is something that my partner Max Fishko feels very strongly about. When we come in we bring local galleries on board, but we also bring people in from out of town, so we need to be good citizens by giving back to the community."

Often these kinds of art expositions tend to be gallery owner heavy with very few artists on hand, although by no means in the majority, there was indeed a healthy amount of artists present more than willing to meet and greet, explain their work and certainly pitch a buy.

During my stroll I spoke with Northern Ireland born artist James Kennedy whose minimalist, linear work struck a chord with this journalist. It was geometric and precise in design, yet I found depth in almost every line. "Although all of these works look hard edge and precise, they are not actually premeditated. They are all pretty free flow in the way I construct them," Kennedy explained.


The major and monumental alfresco installation at the artMRKT entrance was "Billboard" by Alexis Laurent, his art driven by social and environment consideration, "I wanted to create a billboard that said nothing. It says everything by saying nothing. It is all about making nature be a part of the urban world."

I was about to call it an evening when, as I was exiting, I ran into renowned Sag Harbor playwright/novelist/photographer Joe Pintauro and his partner Greg Therriault.

Pintauro urged me to turn back and meet local artist Eric Dever, who was commissioned with creating the cloud backdrop scenery to a new short play Pintauro has written for the 80th anniversary of Guild Hall, premiering at the historic East Hampton performance and art venue on August 27, 2011.

Showing in the Sara Nightingale Gallery booth, Dever's five works were also geometric, thickly applied layers and the hues were simply various shades of white and very light grays, "I try and maintain the focus of paint as material, not as color."

Beyond Pintauro, other notable attendees at artMRKT Hamptons 2011 included John Waters, Edward Albee, James and Kedakai Lipton, Eric Ernst and Sarah Woodward, Beth Rudin DeWoody, Terrie Sultan, Rod and Judy Gilbert, Anne Hearst, Jimmy Finkelstein and Pamela Gross, Marsha Kenney, Steven Bernstein, and Judith Giuliani, artist Steve Miller, and gallerist Julie Keyes.

Cocktails and canapés, art and artists, commerce and charity, and yes, even theatre all came together at artMRKT Hamptons. An impressive maiden voyage into the venerable, influential and competitive Hamptons' art waters, artMRKT made a substantial first impression that will undoubtedly only improve with age.