An Overview of This Year’s Hamptons Fine Art Fair

“This is the 34th art fair we’ve produced, [the 19th in the Hamptons] and we are very good at it.”  The “we” Friedman refers to includes his partner, Cindy Lou Wakefield. He credits her for introducing him to the world of art collecting right from their very first date. Wakefield was working as an educator and writing for the Pollock Krasner House and Study Center in East Hampton. She encouraged Friedman to explore the rich history of the artists who lived and worked in the place she called home. 

Friedman explained, “I read a book– Hamptons Bohemia: Two Centuries of Artists and Writers on the Beach. It was written by Helen Harrison, Director of the Pollock-Krasner House… I got bitten by the art collecting bug… My earliest purchase was Elaine de Kooning’s Cave #24.” 

Abstract Expressionism found fertile ground in the Hamptons. Elaine De Kooning (1918-1989) shared her South Hampton home and studio with her husband Willem de Kooning (1904-1997). Lee Krasner (1908-1984) and Jackson Pollock (1912-1956) lived and worked in Springs, East Hampton. 

Since that first purchase, Friedman and Wakefield have built an impressive collection of over 300 works with an emphasis on the “hard-driving but underappreciated” women artists of the movement. Friedman owns one of the most significant works by Michael Corrine West (1908-1991), an abstract expressionist that is experiencing a resurgence and who this writer covered in an earlier review for A&O. 

These works by lesser known but equally talented women artists became the genesis of the touring exhibition, Heroines of Abstract Expressionism, that premiered in 2023 at the South Hampton Arts Center.

Situated in a 70,000 sq ft complex on 17 bucolic acres next to the South Hampton Golf Club, the HFAF offers a distinctly different vibe than the art fairs held in major city art centers from Miami to Basel. Half-jokingly, Friedman remarked, “The Hamptons are somewhat insulated…We encourage people to ‘buy local’– of course our local artists are famous, and our guests include some of the wealthiest people in the country.” 

Friedman elaborated, “Our fair is very supportive of new buyers, emerging artists, and gallery start-ups from Brooklyn. We have 12-15 new galleries participating this year.” Although Friedman acknowledged the lack of clarity regarding tariffs, and travel restrictions have generated some instability in the art market, “we have great international representation from over 15 countries, although some, like Japan, have canceled.” In checking their latest roster, galleries from Peru, Brazil, Columbia, Germany, Austria, South Korea, the Netherlands, England, and Ireland were listed among others. 

Friedman did not shy away from addressing the reported slump in the art market. “There’s some pull back in art sales, but Blue Chip has held-up. People are more astute… market conditions must be reflected in prices. If you want to sell, you have to be thoughtful in your pricing.” 

Beyond being the producer of the fair, Friedman views his role as supportive, being an advisor, “We sell relationships. Guests ask me what to buy. If they express an interest in an artist or a piece, I try to broker a deal… making a sale can feel good, but at the end of the day, gallerists and artists want long term relationships.” 

Besides high value sales of works by iconic names in contemporary art, Friedman explains, “There’s a tremendous market here for outdoor scenes, beach scenes, and photography, but we always like to present something new. This year, we’re showcasing Art Objects, small sculpture, art glass, pottery, Picasso ceramics, work you can display in your house on a pedestal. Everyone has room for that… Also we’re featuring some ‘rediscoveries,’ artists worthy of a second look, like AbEx artist Robert Natkin (1930-2010).” 

When asked about some final words he’d like people to know about the relaxed yet sophisticated atmosphere they are likely to find at HFAF, Friedman replied, “Here in the Hamptons, art is part of our DNA. We welcome the art curious. But the most important thing we can accomplish is to build trust and lasting relationships in this time of uncertainty. That is the key.”