by Paul Laster

The second edition of Art Southampton got off to a strong start with 4,200 collectors, art advisors, curators, artists, and designers attending the opening night VIP Preview. More than 90 international, national, and local galleries filled the 100,000-square-foot pavilion, with a lively sculpture garden surrounding the entrance.

Eric Fischl, who had a solo exhibition of paintings, sculptures, and works on paper at Hexton Modern and Contemporary, curated a special exhibition of artworks by New York Academy of Art alumni, while other notable solo shows featured Andy Warhol editions at Gallery Valentine, John Alexander’s paintings and prints at Pace Prints and Jerry Schatzberg’s photos of models and rock stars at Nikola Rukaj Gallery.

New York’s Edelman Arts had a marvelous 1964 Warhol flower painting, valued at around $10 million, while Galerie Terminus from Munich flaunted it’s own Pop Art treasure, a 1962 Roy Lichtenstein painting of a waitress serving a plate of peanuts, which carried a $19 million price tag.

Preview sales were brisk, including several sculptures and a collage by Winston Churchill's granddaughter Edwina Sandys at New York’s Westwood Gallery, a painting by Theodoros Stamos at NYC’s Hollis Taggart Gallery, a large-scale color photograph by Edward Burtynsky at Toronto’s Nicholas Metivier Gallery, and a Botero sculpture at Miami’s Consultores de Arte S.A.

“Opening night proved that a quality fair turns out a quality audience,” said Art Southampton director Nick Korniloff. “It is clear that Art Southampton has filled a void for the most sophisticated tastemakers and culturally savvy audience in New York.”

Scroll through the images below to view some of the faces in the crowd on opening night. WM

Gallery Valentine director Ryan Ross

Dorian Grey Gallery director Luis Accorsi

Jackson Fine Art director Anna Walker Skillman

Archeus / Post-Modern directors Brian and Otto Balfour-Oatts

Edelman Arts director Asher Edelman

Cynthia-Reeves director Cynthia Reeves

Hexton Modern and Contemporary director Bob Chase

Kathryn Markel Fine Arts director Kathryn Markel

Hollis Taggart Galleries assistant director Martin Friedrichs

Claire Oliver Gallery directors  Ian Rubinstein and Claire Oliver

Vered Gallery director Ruth Vered

Flowers Gallery assistant Jonny Davies

Modern Painters' Kathy Murphy, Art + Auction's Kate Shanley and Veterinarians Without Borders' Scarlett Magda

New York Academy of Art president David Kratz

Lyons Weir Gallery director Michael Lyons Wier

Pace Prints directors Jacob Lewis and Kristin Heming

Black & White Gallery director Tatyana Okshteyn

De Buck Gallery directors David Major and David De Buck

Vered Gallery director Janet Lehr

Artist Jeff Muhs and McNeill Art Group director Beth McNeill

Todd Merrill 20th Century director Todd Merrill

Collector Nancy Portnoy

Mike Weiss Gallery director Mike Weiss and assistant Gavin Runzel

Photographer Jerry Schatzberg

New York Academy of Art dean Peter Drake

Mindy Solomon Gallery director Mindy Solomon

Collectors Peter Rosenthal and Amy Rosi

Artist Rero

Magnan Metz directors Dara Metz and Alberto Magnan

James Goodman Gallery assistant Shira Schwarz