The Hamptons Fine Art Fair Returns for the Summer

As a centerpiece of its America 250 celebration, on display at the fair's entrance (priced at $1M) will be a striking 10-foot bronze sculpture that's a major part of 19th Century American history: the final/only available work from the limited bronze edition of 12 artist proofs of Bartholdi's original plaster of The Statue of Liberty from the Musée des Arts et Métiers, Paris. On his return in 1871 from a voyage to America, sculptor & painter Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi began a work that would become the Statue of Liberty; he finished the final model in 1878 and this plaster, enlarged for the statue at Ellis Island, was also used to create the edition of 12 artist proofs, cast between 2010-2021, under the auspices of the Musée des Arts et Métiers. Modern Fine Art will present the penultimate work at the fair (edition no. 1 has been classified as a French National Treasure and is currently on loan to the French Embassy in DC; the other 10 of the edition of 12 are in prestigious collections).

The fair's America 250 programming will also include an invited selection of top contemporary UK galleries for the showcase The British are Coming, Again; several exhibitors will focus on showing works & artists interpreting America’s heritage, flag, and other iconography; an exclusive exhibit Trailblazers of Hamptons Abstraction with works for sale by many prominent artists of the 1950s-1970s in a salute to the Hamptons art era that pioneered & championed the Abstract Expressionism movement - considered by many as the nation’s greatest contribution to the art world. There's also the chic July 9 Opening Night VIP Red, White & Blue Party, and July 10 (4pm-6pm) is the return of the fair's trendy Young Collectors Party comprised of young members from leading NYC museums like The Whitney, Guggenheim, Frick, Sotheby's Institute. 

Another highlight will be Marilyn @ 100: The Hamptons Marilyn Monroe Centennial Tribute – The Last Sitting™ presented by The Trust of Bert Stern. Monroe remains one of the most recognizable figures in modern history and as part of its celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, HFAF honors the legendary screen siren on the centennial of her birth with a historic exhibition of iconic photographs from Bert Stern’s The Last Sitting™, photographed over three days at the Hotel Bel-Air for Vogue in June 1962 (Monroe died just five weeks later, on August 4, 1962, at the age of 36). These images have since taken on mythic significance, helping to cement her enduring global legacy and transforming The Last Sitting™ into one of the most celebrated photographic sessions in modern history. Monroe profoundly influenced global culture, cinema, fashion, and women’s empowerment. She helped pioneer the concept of the modern businesswoman, while her signature aesthetic — platinum curls and red lips — remains an enduring influence in fashion and popular culture. Her magnetic image also bridged the worlds of pop culture and fine art, famously inspiring Andy Warhol’s iconic silkscreen series. 

Offering the East End’s widest & deepest selection of important primary & secondary market art, all mediums are on display at the fair, from paintings, works on paper, and photography, to prints, glassworks, ceramics, wood turning, and a special focus on indoor & outdoor sculptures. Next to the fair's Outdoor Sculpture Garden guests can enjoy delicious local dining options throughout the day, with the VIP Lounge and 2 large indoor bars offering diverse wine & spirit selections. 

UBS and Heritage Auctions are two main sponsors and this summer, the fair will also celebrate 20 years of summer art fairs in the Hamptons with show founder/director Rick Friedman who started the region’s original ArtHamptons in 2006 (a passionate collector of local Hamptons artists, Rick's personal collection includes 300+ museum quality pieces including 16 works by Pollock and de Kooning, many 1970s pop artists, and one of the largest collections of women AbEx artists from the 1950s NY School). Rick has also loaned 60  AbEx era pieces to the museum exhibit 250 Years of Art on Long Island that just opened thru July 12 at the Nassau County Museum of Art (located on a 145-acre former Frick estate).