Being Honored at the Summer Gala at Guild Hall in East Hampton
Last Friday was a very special evening for me because I was honored at the Summer Gala at Guild Hall in East Hampton, New York, with my friend, Alec Baldwin as the master of ceremonies. Guild Hall is an incredible arts center and a real gift to the Hamptons community. It does so much to enhance cultural life in the Hamptons through amazing exhibitions, and through its theater, museum, and numerous events and offerings, including the fabulous “Garden as Art” program. This gala was also a preview exhibition to celebrate the famed Richard Prince, who is acknowledged as one of the most important and influential artists of our time. His new show at Guild Hall is called “Covering Pollock.”
Prince is an appropriation artist who uses found imagery and combines it with his own original compositions. This latest series is based upon photographs of the artist, Jackson Pollock and his wife Lee Krasner, at their East Hampton home, before Pollock’s untimely death in 1956. Prince’s multi-media format is quite fascinating. Following the preview, there was a lovely dinner and a live auction of some important works by William Wegman, Clifford Ross, Andres Serrano, Barbara Kruger, Bryan Hunt, and Eric Fischl. Simon de Pury, Chairman of the auction house, Phillips de Pury & Company, was the lively auctioneer for the evening and including the auction, Guild Hall brought in about $500,000 net. Thank you Guild Hall, once again, for such a wonderful award!
1 Arriving at Guild Hall - Guild Hall Executive Director - Ruth Appelhof, longtime Guild Hall supporter - Alec Baldwin, and me
2 The name of the exhibit is Richard Prince Covering Pollock
3 The event was well-photographed.
4 Valets standing by
5 Very colorful guests
6 It's always great catching up with Alec.
7 Posing with Bob Shaye
8 With Eileen Casey - arts editor of Hamptons.com
9 With my friend, Michael Lynn - movie producer and chair of the museum committee
10 Jeff Tarr, Michael Lynn, me, and Patsy Tarr
11 With Larry Gagosian of Gagosian Gallery, the sponsor of the evening
12 Talking to Leila Strauss
13 Here I am with Helen Lee Schifter
14 with Ron Delsener, the veteran rock promoter
15 The gallery space
16 Standing in front an untitled work by Richard Prince - Collage and acrylic on mounted photograph
17 Richard Evans and Kim Harriston admiring the art
18 Richard Prince works in a multi-media format with extensive usage of appropriated images. As an appropriation artist, he takes found imagery and puts it into his own original compositions.
19 In this collection, Prince uses stark photographs of Jackson Pollack and his wife Lee Krasner at their East Hampton home as the basis on which to build.
20 The pieces are presented mostly in black and white, with very little color added. Prince used photos of model Kate Moss for this piece.
21 This monotone quality of the work feels very somber.
22 Another work
23 And another
24 This work combines photos of deceased punk legend Sid Vicious on top of photos of Pollock.
25 With Robert Nederlander and Patricia Cook
26 Richard Prince books - Martha Stewart books
27 Following the cocktails and exhibition preview, the celebration was moved down the street to the historic East Hampton Gardiner Estate.
28 The Gardiner estate was built in the late 1930's for one of East Hamptons most prominent residents, Robert Lion Gardiner.
29 Photographer Bill Cunningham was on the scene.
30 Fancy toes - fancy shoes
31 James Anderson, Marshal Landon, Steven Gambrel, me, Ken Wolfe, Caleb James, and Bill Cunningham
32 Bill Cunningham was fascinated with my bronze metallic knit sweater.
33 A nice shot of me and Bill
34 Atmosphere
35 Simon de Pury and Michaela de Pury - Simon de Pury - Chairman of Phillips de Pury & Company was the auctioneer for the evening. He is one of the art world's leading figures and auctioneers.
36 Auctioning off an Eric Fischl - Watercolor on paper - estimated retail value: $100,000
That is a beautiful house in picture #28. And, in picture #33, you look absolutely georgous. Being surrounded by handsome men isn't too shabby, either.
But, what is with the rolled up pants legs in picture #31? Is Mr. Landon going wading in the fountain, or something?
Congratulations on being honored!!
Gloria G!!
Posted by: Gloria | August 16th, 2011 at 12:24 am
Hi Martha,
Congratulations on being honored and it must have been fun hanging out with Alec Baldwin. I don’t know what to say about Prince’s artwork except for me it would take getting used to. I admire that people can create and what one decides to hang on their walls is a matter of taste. My taste is simple, mostly abstract paintings and not the least bit expensive. Thanks for sharing and I too liked your metallic knit sweater – you looked good. Trish
Posted by: Trish | August 16th, 2011 at 9:44 am
Martha, congratulations on being honored with this award. Thanks for sharing this blog.
Posted by: KLBrown | August 16th, 2011 at 9:58 am
Hi Martha, Thanks for this fascinating, interesting, lovely blog post about those terrific artists with displays at the Summer Gala at Guild Hall in East Hampton, New York. How wonderful that you were honored there and how fun to see your friend, Alec Baldwin! The websites you shared were also very fascinating and it's easy to see how proud the New York politicans are to have such terrific artists and museums. These photos are fantastic and you look so wonderful in all of the ones you appear in! This reminds me of way back in 1959 when I started college and one of my minors was Art and and I thoroughly enjoyed everything I was involved in and I still love to see artistic things! I remember seeing photo #14 on your twitpic last weekend, also. Thanks so much for sharing this! Was wonderful to hear you on Sirius Radio 110 again yesterday! Hope you have another great day! Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | August 16th, 2011 at 10:34 am
Hi Martha!
Best smile on picture no. 33! Love it..thanks for sharing and congratulations on being honored!
Posted by: Kathleen | August 16th, 2011 at 11:18 am
What a beautiful estate...it has that very Martha appeal!
Posted by: sherey | August 16th, 2011 at 12:28 pm
Martha, you face is always glowing in all your pictures and I just have to say.... you have beautiful skin and I would love to know what you use on your skin. Please let us know..... You still look so young and fresh!
Posted by: Frances | August 16th, 2011 at 12:43 pm
Congratulations Martha! Also I thank you for your contiunued public service in supporting the arts as well as the environment. I am enjoying the September issue and ran into a woman buying it at the bookstore on the boardwalk in Sea Isle City NJ. I convinced her it is a good issue - so she bought it. Is it true that buying a print addition subscription also gives you access to the digital subsciption or are they separate costs? Summer is coming to an end so quickly!
Posted by: Teresa Touey | August 16th, 2011 at 1:21 pm
Congratulations on being honored Martha! love your amazing photos and love your Bronze metallic knitted sweater. Looks like a beautiful event, did not see any photo of Kevin!
Hope Alexis is doing great with her daughter baby Jude and hope your are enjoying Her. I wish you could post some photos. Best of luck and success.
Posted by: Rowaida Flayhan | August 16th, 2011 at 5:19 pm
Congratulations Martha - very deserving. Thank you for all you do to support the arts. We learn so much from you. My husband knows that at 9am we change to the Hallmark Channel to watch Martha Stewart and he admits that he has learned a lot from watching your show.
Posted by: Sharon Sallens | August 17th, 2011 at 9:49 pm
Hi Martha,
Congratulations on being honored and from the looks of all the pictures it must have been fun hanging out. I don’t know what to say about Prince’s artwork except it's probably not for me, just not my style I guess. My taste is simple. Thanks for sharing
Posted by: Steve | August 17th, 2011 at 10:54 pm
I am so glad I found this Martha Blog. I admire Martha ---- One tuff cookie she is. I will truley enjoy the reading.
Posted by: Christine Hall | August 18th, 2011 at 7:05 pm