Art fairs in the Hamptons will look a little different in 2015. Switching things up, Art Southampton is moving to Bridgehampton and Art Hamptons is moving to a new location and date to be announced in a few weeks. Both fairs are switching the July time slots they’ve presented in the past. Art Southampton will be held earlier to coincide with Art Market Hamptons. Both fairs will be held from July 9 to 13, 2015 in Bridgehampton, N.Y. Art Hamptons plans to move to a later date in July and to a new location nearby, said fair producer Hamptons Expo Group president Rick Friedman.
“The Hamptons aren’t Miami and I don’t think the area can support three art fairs in one weekend,” said Friedman. “We’re not set up to handle that kind of traffic. To hold three art fairs in the same weekend isn’t thinking of the community.”
The changes mean Art Southampton and Art Market Hamptons now form the first pair of fairs opening in Bridgehampton. Art Southampton will now present at Nova’s Ark Project, the site where Art Hamptons has been presenting the last few years. Art Market Hamptons holds steady to its location on the grounds of the Bridgehampton Historical Society. Both fairs will open with VIP previews on Thursday, July 9, 2015 to benefit local art cultural organizations. Art Market Hamptons’s beneficiary is LongHouse Reserve. Art Southampton’s private preview benefits the Parrish Art Museum. Art Hamptons’s VIP preview will benefit Guild Hall, said Friedman. Their Lifetime Achievement Honoree will be Ruth Appelhof, Guild Hall’s Executive Director, said Friedman.
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Describing the reasons for Art Southampton’s moves, Art Miami partner and director Nick Korniloff wrote in an announcement, “We have fulfilled our mission of bringing a world-class art fair to the world class community of Southampton over the last three years and now are realigning our dates and location for our patrons convenience. This move to a more central location in Bridgehampton will allow easier access for all of our collectors on the East End. Furthermore, the extraordinary sculpture ground that the late Nova Mihai Popa and his life partners Tundra Wolf and Luna Shanaman created is the perfect setting for our fair”.
No word on whether Art Southampton is renaming its fair to match its new location. [Update: A name change is not on the way....the fair will remain known as Art Southampton, according to the art fair.]
In other changes, Art Southampton is bringing aboard a new Exhibition Relations and Creative Director. Regine Basha has curated contemporary exhibitions and special projects in spots around the globe for 20 years, according to Art Miami. They include New York, Los Angeles, Montreal, Istanbul, Cairo, Austin, Marfa and Dallas. As a curatorial consultant, Basha has worked with the Museum of Art & Design, Creative Capital, Columbia University, No Longer Empty and others.
“I couldn’t be more excited to join the Art Miami’s team and their portfolio of respected fairs. I look forward to continue the fairs positive trajectory while encouraging participation and dialogue between the galleries, artists and institutions with which I have had a long working relationships”, stated Regine Basha in a press release.
Art Hamptons held its art fair at Nova’s Ark Project for the last three years. Prior years had the fair presenting at Sayre’s Park and the Bridgehampton Historical Society, both of Bridgehampton. Art Southampton presented its first three fairs on the grounds of the Southampton Elks Lodge along 27 East in Southampton, N.Y. Art Hampton has presented Hamptons art fairs for seven years; Art Market Hamptons (formerly artMRKT Hamptons) for five years; and Art Southampton for three years.
All three art fair production companies present fairs nationally. Hamptons Expo Group, the producer of Art Hamptons, presents fairs in Aspen, Houston, Palm Springs and The Hamptons. Art Miami LLC Productions presents four art fairs in Miami (Art Miami, Context, Aqua Art Miami and Art Wynwood) and fairs in Silicon Valley (California), New York and The Hamptons. Art Market Productions presents fairs in Miami (Miami Project), Houston, San Francisco and The Hamptons.
In related art fair news, Art Miami and Art Market Productions both plan to offer new fairs in New York City in March 2015.
Art Market Productions will hold the inaugural Paper New York art fair to coincide with New York Armory Week (March 5 – 8, 2015). Art Miami will hold its inaugural Context New York art fair during the same week. For Frieze New York Art Week, Art Miami is renaming its Downtown Art Fair, held in 2014, to Art Miami New York. The fair will coincide with Frieze New York (May 14 – 17, 2015). Also in 2015, Art Market Productions expands to Washington with its inaugural Seattle Art Fair to be held July 30 to August 2, 2015.
BASIC FACTS: Art Southampton 2015 takes place from July 9 to 13 at Nova’s Ark Project at 60 Millstone Rd at Scuttle Hole Rd, Bridgehampton, NY 11932. www.art-southampton.com.
Art Market Hamptons 2015 takes place from July 9 to 13 on the grounds of the Bridgeahampton Historical Society, 2368 Montauk Highway, Bridgehampton, NY 11930. www.artmarkethamptons.com.
Art Hamptons is changing its location and date for 2015. Check their website for details on its 2015 fair. www.arthamptons.com.
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