The Bridgehampton Historical Society will celebrate the exhibition opening of a new photographic essay by Kathryn Szoka on Friday, September 11th from 5pm-7pm in the Corwith Homestead at 2368 Montauk Highway in Bridgehampton. Titled “Life Along the Turnpike: Bridgehampton Today”,
this exhibition focuses on images of today’s Bridgehampton residents,
concentrating on the storied Bridgehampton Turnpike neighborhoods and
institutions.
The museum’s regular gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 10AM -3PM.
There is a $5 suggested donation during regular gallery hours.
This exhibition will be open to the public through November 20, 2009.
The museum will stay open on the evening of Tuesday, October 13th as Ms Szoka will offer a free Gallery Talk at 7PM about the exhibition and her on-going project.
Ms Szoka will also speak and answer questions about the work at 11AM on Wednesday, October 14th.
Advance reservations for both free talks are essential at (631) 537-1088.
Curated
by Bridgehampton Historical Society Program Director Stacy Dermont, Ms
Dermont had this to say about the works: “We’ve shown Ms Szoka’s work
in the past, it is always breathtaking – but she has really outdone
herself with this new project! These portraits are quintessentially “Bridgehampton” and yet very much of universal beauty and interest.
I’m thrilled to have them shown in our museum. We also plan to work
with Ms Szoka to make this work available to other institutions for
exhibition in the future - but Bridgehampton will always be their
home.”
Photographing
in both black and white and color, Ms Szoka began this long term
project last year. In order to celebrate and document Bridgehampton
life, Szoka plans to continue taking portraits into the foreseeable
future. Copies of all the images will be housed in the BHHS permanent
archive and will be available to the public when the archive is
expanded into the Rogers House on Ocean Road in Bridgehampton.
This
project has been funded in part by a 2008 JPMorgan Chase Artist Grant
and a 2009 Decentralization Grant through NYS Council on the Arts, both
administered via Huntington Arts Council, Inc., as
well as a 2009 Special State Grant Through NYS Office of Parks,
Recreation and Historic Preservation initiated by Assemblyman Fred Thiele and through a private donation.
In
addition to seeking additional funds to continue the photographic work,
funds are being sought to add an oral history component to the project
whereby all subjects would be interviewed and those interviews also
housed in the BHHS permanent archive.
Ms
Szoka lives and works in Sag Harbor where she is the co-owner of
Canio’s Books. She also teaches the art of photography to private
students.
For more information please call (631) 537-1088.
