The first annual
ArtHamptons in
Bridgehampton, N.Y.,
scored big sales from
quality buyers the
weekend of July 10 -13,
2008, proving that the
Hamptons market is more
than a cultural
back-water in the shadow
of New York City. For a
first year fair, 5,000
collectors and visitors
turned out and wrote out
a stunning $20 million
for paintings,
sculpture, drawings,
photographs and
editioned works,
including $4.5 million
for Picasso's
Homme au Chapeau,
sold by the
Bridgehampton Mark
Borghi Fine Art
gallery.
The fair included 55
galleries from North
America and London,
with more than 1,000
artists represented and
works priced accordingly
$50,000 to $200,000 on
average. The selection
committee accepted only
half the galleries that
applied to exhibit.
Artists achieving top
sales were the heavy
hitters such as de
Kooning, Warhol, Wyeth,
Fairfield Porter,
Albers, Motherwell,
Francis, Longo, Christo,
Hockney, Chamberlain,
Gorky, Katz, Rivers and
Bearden. ArtHamptons
generated a steady steam
of appreciative art
collectors and
enthusiasts and many
attended twice to absorb
the spectrum of quality
artworks.
In conceiving the fair,
ArtHamptons founder
Rick Friedman
said, “If you put your
compass down here and
trace a five-mile
radius, you?d be
impressed with the
serious collectors that
live within it.” His
logic proved right.
Veteran gallerist June
Kelly of the New York
June
Kelly Gallery, summed up the strength
of the fair, ArtHamptons
brought together dealers
who show artwork of the
highest quality and it
attracted an audience
that appreciates the
best that the art world
can provide.
It is an inspired idea
to hold an event of this
caliber in the Hamptons.
We met and sold to new
clients and we all loved
experiencing this
beautiful part of the
country, commented
Jonathan Novak of the
eponymous gallery,
in Santa
Monica,
CA.
Top sales included
Flywheelsonata,
2007, by John
Chamberlain, sold by
Mark Borghi Fine Art for
$1 million; and three
works by Andrew Wyeth,
that sold for $900,000,
$850,000 and $325,000 by
Peter Marcelle
Contemporary,
Southampton.
Thomas Paul of the
Los Angeles
Thomas
Paul Gallery commented that the
quality of the visitors
and the sheer body count
was impressive and one
of the best fairs he has
done.
ArtHamptons showed art
produced by the great
masters of the 19th
century to the latest
generation of stars. In
addition to American
art, post-Impressionist
European, Latin American
and Asian contemporary
art, was shown.
Said Rick Friedman, We are a small show that buys
like a big show.
The fair was erected on
the grounds of the
Bridgehampton Historical
Society and two acres
behind in four
fully-enclosed,
temperate-controlled
modular buildings.
Plans are underway for
ArtHamptons in 2009
for the same July
weekend.