A Journey through the 2024 Student Art Festival, Eco vs. Ego at Guild Hall

In an interview with Anthony Madonna, the Patti Kenner Director of Learning + New Works at Guild Hall, the topic was the 2024 Student Art Festival, Eco vs. Ego. Madonna said the art festival will explore “Our symbiotic relationship with nature.” He explained that this topic, inspired by guest thought leader Edwina von Gal, asks the students, school teachers, and artists to delve into topics such as needs and survival, infrastructure and growth, anthropomorphism and symbolism, and biophilia through the practices of art, design, horticulture, and performance.

The 2024 Student Art Festival, Eco vs. Ego, is a “Free show” from January 20th through February 26th at Guild Hall. Anthony Madonna is excited about this exhibit, stating, “This (exhibit) is a culmination of quite a long process. We have been working with about fifteen schools for the past two years to train artists to develop this work.” He stressed that people will see “Two years’ worth of thought and work displayed in one place.” That one place is at the newly renovated Guild Hall in East Hampton. Guild Hall Executive Director Andrea Grover and Board Chairman Marty Cohen are proud and excited about the newly renovated indoor spaces along with the gardens of the Marty and Michele Cohen Arts Building.

Guild Hall Chairman Cohen and Ms. Grover have stressed the recent renovation’s “miracle of gaining more space” while maintaining the integrity of the original footprint of Guild Hall is special. The 2024 Student Art Festival, Eco vs. Ego, will be an excellent opportunity for the community, including students, family, and friends, to utilize the facility and once again demonstrate the vision of Guild Hall founder Mary Woodhouse to make it “… the jewel of the town, providing a space for community communication along with cultural enrichment.”

Director Madonna said, “For people coming in to view the exhibition, I think what will be interesting is how different pockets of our community have responded to the same question about “Eco vs. Ego in really diverse ways.” He added that the Student Art Festival has been a twenty-five-year tradition at Guild Hall. In the past five years, it has shifted in nature to give it an essential theme and to pair artists with area schools to develop new works. This year’s festival, Eco vs. Ego, came about after a conversation with the landscape architect and Guild Hall Academy of the Arts member Edwina von Gal.

After the 2019 show, Director Madonna conversed with Edwina von Gal, and this year’s topic, “Eco vs. Ego,” came out of that conversation. He said they talked quite a bit about that idea, and Edwina went on to talk with a majority of the teachers and artists who are spearheading these projects to talk about inspiration.

The director sent me a list of the artists-in-residence and participating schools. It included Pamella Allen & Springs School; Keren Anavy & Amagansett School; Darlene Charneco & Bridgehampton School; Viv Corringham & Springs School; Andrea Cote & The Bridgehampton Childcare & Recreation Center; Lionel Cruet & the Guild Hall Teen Arts Council; Mare Dianora & Bridgehampton School; Denise Silva-Dennis & Pierson Middle-High School; Jeremy Dennis & East Hampton High School; Brianna Hernandez & East Hampton High School; Liz Joyce with Wainscott & Sagaponack Schools; Laurie Lambrecht and Westhampton Beach Elementary School; Brett Loving & Project Most; Anthony Madonna & John Marshall Elementary School; Cheryl Molnar & Shelter Island School; Jody Oberfelder & Our Fabulous Variety Show; Beau Bree Rhee & East Hampton High School; Steven Sergiovanni & the Guild Hall Teen Arts Council; Alexandra Talty & Bridgehampton School; Rosario Varela & East Hampton Middle School.

A series of related programs will be presented throughout the exhibition, including The Opening Day Celebration: Saturday, January 20th, 12-2 PM. Then there is “Lunch Break,” Fridays, January 26th, and February 16th, both 12-1 PM. Next, there will be “Family Tours & Workshops” on Saturdays, January 27th and February 17th, 12-1 PM (ages 4-7 + parent/guardian.)

Also, there will be “Creative Lab: Lionel Cruet on Monday, January 29th, at 6-7:30 PM. Then there will be a “Student Performance with Viv Corringham and the Springs School on Saturday, February 10th, from 3-4 PM. Scheduled on Monday, February 12th, from 6-7:30 PM, will be “Creative Lab: Liz Joyce. The Galleries are open Friday to Monday, 12-5 PM, and admission is always free. To learn more about these exhibitions and related programming, visit guildhall.org/events.