Contemporary Art Fair Will Push Traditional Tastes

When third-generation gallerist Max Fishko decided to hold his inaugural art fair, “artMRKT Hamptons,” the weekend after “ArtHamptons” in the same hamlet—Bridgehampton, he said he knew he’d have to stand apart from the largest art show on the East End.

Mr. Fishko said he and “artMRKT’s” co-founder, Jeffrey Wainhaus, have accomplished just that. This past May, they also founded “artMRKT San Francisco” and will hold “art-

MRKT Texas Contemporary” in October.

The 30 dealers slated to participate in “artMRKT Hamptons” will pale in number, though not quality, to their competitor’s 77, Mr. Fishko said.

“They have a broad range of material that’s being shown that will appeal to a certain kind of collector,” Mr. Fishko said during a telephone interview last week. “I think we’re going to attract some of the same people as ‘ArtHamptons,’ but our focus is very narrow on quality contemporary art.”

From Thursday, June 14, through Sunday, July 17, art prices will range from $1,000 to $100,000 on the Bridgehampton Historical Society grounds, according to Mr. Fishko, as compared to “ArtHampton’s” peak prices of $1 million per piece.

“My own fairs are a wonderful shopping experience for my customers, and for me,” he said. “I think they’re going to get a wonderful chance to see fresh, contemporary work that they otherwise might not have found.”

Set up in three interconnected tents, the 30 galleries will create a boutique setting, housing at least 500 artists and 1,500 to 2,000 pieces of art, Mr. Fishko reported.

Because a 30-dealer art fair is uncharacteristically small, the pressure is on to present a worthwhile exhibition, Mr. Fishko said, adding that his Brooklyn-based company has risen to the challenge.

“The interesting thing is that the dealers in this show are ones you wouldn’t find in the same place—from uptown Manhattan to Chelsea to Brooklyn,” he said. “All of them decided that it’s worthwhile to come out to the Hamptons at this particular time.”

Michael Foley, director of Foley Gallery in Manhattan, didn’t think twice about participating in “artMRKT Hamptons,” he said.

“Gosh, who doesn’t want to be in the Hamptons in July?” he said during a telephone interview last week. “Goodness. Come on.”

Accompanying Mr. Foley next weekend will be countless contemporary art pieces from a number of artists, including Thomas Allen, Andrea Mastrovito and Martin Klimas.

“All three are very colorful. They use very, very rich colors,” Mr. Foley explained. “They’re all a lot of fun, clever. They’re serious stuff, too. They’re not frivolous.”

Mr. Klimas, for example, is extremely interested in destruction, Mr. Foley said. And so he photographs flowers in vases and fires a bullet into the base, causing the bottom half to explode while the top half remains perfectly still.

“So you have the serene flower on top and the bottom half is mayhem and chaos,” Mr. Foley said. “They’re a nice spin on the classic still-life flower. He really upgrades it with a contemporary twist.”

101/Exhibit Director Alex Wolfson said “artMRKT Hamptons” is an ideal venue for his Miami-based gallery.

“It’s a more aggressive, younger show that allows us to be who we are as a gallery,” he said during a telephone interview last week. “Coming to the Hamptons, you do have a rather interesting mix of more conservative affluence that prefers less evocative works, but at the same time, you have a more cutting-edge understanding of art.”

To test the audience at “artMRKT,” Mr. Wolfson said he plans to bring work by Ted Vasin, Joshua Hagler, Chambliss Giobbi, Isabelle du Toit, Pat Rocha and Claudio Ethos.

“I think the difficulty for artists, in my opinion, is you have to be able to say what you want to say, technically speaking, but you also have to have something to say,” he explained. “What I see going on in the art world is that there’s a lot of people with a lot of talent and not a lot to say. At the same time, there are, perhaps more tragically, people with a lot to say but not with the talent to do so. It’s that rare blend of the two that creates a successful artist,” he continued. “That’s what we look for. What you’ll find is a well curated understanding of that and the presentation of the ability to walk that line.”

Though the art fair is strictly contemporary work, “artMRKT’s” caliber is not that to be trifled with, Mr. Fishko said.

“These galleries are in the game in a way that’s serious and sincere,” he said. “They’re doing quality work, representing quality work.”

“artMRKT Hamptons” will open with a preview party benefiting Southampton Hospital on Thursday, July 14, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., followed by a VIP preview party from 7 to 9:30 p.m. The fair will continue on Friday, July 15, and Saturday, July 16, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. both days and on Sunday, July 17, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $15 online, or $20 at the door; $25 for a three-day pass online, or $30 at the door; or $100 to include opening preview party admissions online, or $110 at the door. For tickets and more information, visit art-MRKT.com/hamptons.