The Wild, Wild…East
Each summer over 60 artists descend on the Hamptons for a 5 week residency at Robert Wilson’s Watermill Center. It all culminates in two events: this past weekend’s annual art world extravaganza and a public opening on August 10th. This year, 65 artists from 30 countries took over the Center’s eight acres, and transformed the stunning grounds and enchanting forest behind the museum into an art world Avatar.
The Watermill Center’s party may be the only benefit in the Hamptons where the typical small talk about your summer, this summer’s increase in traffic and the cameo appearances from Real Housewives and other F-level celebrities is replaced by “did you walk through the woods?” One guest uttered, “if the American public could experience this, it would increase interest in the arts ten-fold”…while I admit that guest was me, I believe that is what everyone was or should have been thinking.
But if not, then at least Bob Wilson will surely be known as the living artist who has most transformed how performance and installation art is viewed. In the interior space is Bob Wilson’s Video Portraits of Lada Gaga and while I wanted to hate another “celebutart” exhibition, I actually quite liked this too.
The Watermill Center is open to the public through September and for special events including on August 10th to experience the summer residents’ installations. The center is located at 39 Water Mill Town Road in Water Mill, NY.
-Manish Vora
Via: Artlog
