In a cute courtyard on Main St. in Bridgehampton, a giant statue of a dog squats—let’s call it a “familiar” pose. There are other sculptures and indications that you are approaching The White Room Gallery, but none as reflective of the gallery’s irreverent verve as Artie the Dog.
Art doesn’t have to be pretentious to inspire and inform.
This is my kind of gallery—approachable, inviting, fresh. Where some galleries are silent, empty and cold, The White Room bustles with life and excitement. My mom is an artist (in fact, she is my favorite!) and the highest compliment that I can give is that I think she would like it here. She would definitely get along with the co-founders and owners, Andrea McCafferty and Kat O’Neill.
Andrea and Kat are a breath of fresh air in the sometimes stuffy art world and the art they curate reflects their colorful, creative personalities. I’m not at all surprised that the White Room Gallery has been voted the best gallery in the Hamptons. In fact, since opening in 2015, it has been named one of Dan’s Papers “Best of the Best” every year.
“Beach Life Is The Sweet Life,” the recent exhibit of De La Nuez’s pop art, struck a perfect balance between enjoying and considering the art. Sometimes when I’m at a gallery I don’t really get a chance to enjoy the art because I keep trying to figure it out, “But, what does it mean?” This Gallery allows artistic appreciation to be more than just “I like it” or “I get it”. In describing the exhibit, the curator’s description speaks volumes, “the expression…makes you smile.”
Once anachronistic, “Pop Art” has become a pervasive part of contemporary art. Repurposed iconography, pulp subject matter and colorful Ben-Day Dots are juxtaposed to tease playful tongue-in-cheek stories that are uniquely apropos for the Hamptons.
Through its snappy brevity, the exhibit invites the viewer to participate in the storytelling. De La Nuez doesn’t have to explain what images are being conjured up by “Oh… Pool Boy!” For me, the meaning is visible on the surface and upon deeper consideration, reveals a reflection on desire, wealth, status, America, the 20th Century…
The White Room’s “Beach Life Is The Sweet Life” Exhibit will run through August 28th, 2022 at 2415 Main Street, Bridgehampton.
Visit their website for more information on upcoming exhibits, www.thewhiteroom.gallery
