July is the month for art fairs in The Hamptons. Market Art + Design rolls into Bridgehampton, NY this week with an expanded art fair. Later this month, the Upstairs Art Fair returns to Amagansett, NY to present its third edition July 19 to 21, 2019.
The only one of the three white-tented art fairs remaining, Market Art + Design has increased its exhibitors from 80 to 90 to present the fair's largest show yet. Returning to The Bridgehampton Museum grounds, the art fair drops a day and opens with day-to-evening previews on Friday, July 5, 2019, with the public invited to attend Saturday and Sunday (July 6 & 7, 2019).
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Market Art + Design, 2018. Courtesy of Art Market Productions.
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Now in its ninth edition, Market Art + Design has seen significant growth since it first popped up in 2011 as Art Market Hamptons in the same location. Produced by Art Market Productions (AMP) and rebranded as Market Art + Design, the fair features artwork from local, national and international galleries and added design four years ago. This year, the fair expands the show’s furniture and object-oriented design presentations, AMP Director Kelly Freedman said.
“It’s a component to the show that we integrated a few years ago and its been received very well,” Freeman explained. “I think that there’s room in the market in the Hamptons in particular for object-oriented design, and I think collectors agree.”
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"Cat's Eye" by Mym Tuma, 2005. Acrylic on canvas, 60 x 40 inches. On view in booth #313 for Market Art + Design, 2019. Courtesy of Janet Lehr Fine Arts.
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At a glance, the design element can be readily seen in exhibitors Jan Kath, presenting hand-knotted rugs sporting graffiti-inspired designs made by global street artists iena cruz; 917 Fine Arts, who presents Navajo rugs by multiple artists; and Bahr Gallery, with its fine art-design cross over of rock concert prints by celebrated sixties designers.
The lion's share of the exhibitors are displaying contemporary art. Freeman is looking forward to seeing many past exhibitors return to the fair in addition to several new ones. Another change is the growth of interest from the international community, she said. Galleries are traveling to the 2019 fair from as far as London, Shanghai, Toronto, Paris, Madrid, Buenos Aires and Tel Aviv.
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Market Art + Design, 2018. Courtesy of Art Market Productions.
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“I’m seeing more people coming in from other countries,” Freeman said. “This year we have an amazing space called Galerie MPA from Madrid, and we have some new galleries coming in from Paris as well. There’s more of an international focus on the East End community, which is a huge bonus.”
This attraction comes from the fair’s partnerships with the Parrish Art Museum, who is this year's Market Art + Design Preview beneficiary, as well as other major museum sponsors like Guild Hall and The Watermill Center, according to Freeman.
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"Twiggy x LV" by Seek One. Mixed media, 36 x 48 inches. On view in Booth No. 507 for Market Art + Design, 2019. Courtesy of The White Room Gallery.
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“They really work to ground the East End as a longstanding artistic community full of patrons who are excited to support something like the art fair that brings in new galleries every year,” she said.
As in previous editions, there continues to be a national gallery interest in exhibiting in The Hamptons. Galleries are traveling across the United States from Florida, Connecticut, New Jersey, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Colorado, Pennsylvania, California and Washington D.C. to Market Art + Design 2019.
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Market Art + Design, 2018. Courtesy of Art Market Productions.
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When it comes to East End galleries, attendees can expect along the aisles around one third of Hamptons art galleries and one North Fork gallery. East End Galleries include Roman Fine Art and Janet Lehr Fine Arts (East Hampton); RJD Gallery and The White Room Gallery (Bridgehampton); Monika Olko Gallery (Sag Habor); Quogue Gallery (Quogue); VSOP Projects (Greenport) and others.
From New York, exhibitors include David Benrimon Fine Art, George Billis Gallery, HAAS CONTEMPORARY, Sugarlift, Gugsa Black Arts Collective, UNIX Gallery and others.
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"Corona No. 3" by Christopher Stott. Oil on canvas, 30 x 48 inches. Courtesy of the artist, George Billis Gallery and Art Market Productions.
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Sculpture will be installed throughout the pavilion as well as on the grounds. Artists contributing work include Brandon Lomax (presented by Timothy Yarger Fine Art) John Peralta (George Billis Gallery), Arden Scott (VSOP Projects), Dennis Leri (Folioeast), Kevin Barrett (C Fine Art), Fitzhugh Karol (Salomon Contemporary) and Wendy Letven (Flowtopia).
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"Magic Powers (45 degree spew)" by Charley Friedman, 2018. Felt, clay resin, wire rod, and stuffing, 32 x 35 x 45 inches. Image courtesy of the artist, VSOP Projects and Art Market Productions.
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Regardless of their place of origin, all 90 exhibitors will come together during the first weekend of July under a 50,000 square-foot pavilion
“The pavilion is really special for us having started as a relatively small fair 10 years ago in Bridgehampton— it’s amazing be able to have grown to such an extent,” Freeman said. “It’s really exciting and it afford the East End community the opportunity to come and see a real, comprehensive snapshot of what’s happening in contemporary and modern art across the country and the world.
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Market Art + Design, 2018. Courtesy of Art Market Productions.
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Last year, the fair’s opening night preview at the pavilion reached a record-breaking number of attendees. With 3,500 curators, collectors, interior designers and influencers, exhibitors reported strong sales with many works placed in prominent collections. AMP expects to surpass these numbers this year, especially with the preview opening on Friday from 1 to 6 p.m. and continuing through 10 p.m. with a VIP party instead of its typical four-hour opening on Thursday night.
Though Market Art + Design is one day shorter than usual, Freeman said that the fair’s hours have been extended to better accommodate guests vacationing on the East End.
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Market Art + Design, 2018. Courtesy of Art Market Productions.
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“I found that we were doing ourselves a little bit of a disservice by not being open until 8 p.m. on Saturday and 7 p.m on Sunday, so we added more time in the morning and more time in the evening to add two additional hours to each day,” Freeman explained. “People want to go to town, grab dinner and drinks and then come to the fair to sightsee and do a little shopping.”
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Market Art + Design, 2018. Courtesy of Art Market Productions.
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With Art Southampton and Art Hamptons no longer in the picture, Freeman believes that Market Art + Design will continue to grow as a major contemporary art fair and draw a crowd of enthusiasts from not only Long Island and New York City, but from across the country and even the world.
“We solidify our place as premiere collecting destination on the East End,” Freeman said. “ I think more and more people want to take advantage of that opportunity.”
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BASIC FACTS: Market Art + Design will be presented July 5 to 7, 2019 on the grounds of the Bridgehampton Museum, 2368 Montauk Highway, Bridgehampton, NY 11932. A preview will be held Friday, July 5, from 1 to 6 p.m. followed by a VIP party from 6 to 10 p.m. for VIP pass and preview pass holders only. Tickets are $50 and include fair admission for the run of the fair.
The fair is open to the general public on Saturday, July 6, 2019, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Sunday, July 7, 2019, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tickets are $35 for a multi-day pass and $25 for a single day pass. Click here to purchase. For details, visit www.artmarkethamptons.com.
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