The White Room Gallery: Bridgehampton's Best of the Best

Some skeptics may argue that one Dan’s Best of the Best contest victory does not necessarily crown a business the most beloved in its category, but with The White Room Gallery earning the title of best art gallery in the Hamptons every year since its 2015 opening, the love is nigh undeniable. Gallery supporters and East End art lovers are sure to be thrilled with the Bridgehampton favorite’s exciting lineup of exhibitions to experience this summer!

The White Room Gallery kicked off the summer with the fun, yet provocative Oh…Pool Boy! exhibition, featuring a great mix of literal, figurative examples of the theme by Nelson De La Nuez, Mark Andrew Allen and Chad Knight and more abstract interpretations by Lynn Savarese, Jenna Krypell and Dorothy Ganek. Other featured artists include Linda Colletta, Craig Alan, Keith Ramsdell and Mr. Brainwash.

“The expression ‘Oh, pool boy’ makes you smile—mostly because of the implied sexual narrative, of course, but it also conjures up imagery of fun,” co-owners/co-directors Andrea McCafferty and Kat O’Neill share. “For this exhibit, we wanted it to be the catalyst for a celebration of island life—the East End, the pools, the beaches, the romance and the joy of the much-needed summer blues, as in hues. Nelson De La Nuez is the featured artist, so we used his always engaging work as the inspiration, and from that everything fell into place.”

Oh…Pool Boy! remains on view through Sunday, July 11.

The following exhibition strays from the theme of its predecessor greatly— no summer romances, divers or rippling water to be found here. Instead, the aptly named This Is Different show invites visitors to look at the world through the abstract lens of artist Linda Colletta.

“We have never done a short exhibit before but one of our abstract artists, Linda Colletta, created a new body of work and we thought it would be powerful to see them all on view so we shifted the calendar a bit and made an exception,” McCafferty and O’Neill explain. “The pieces are large abstracts from her Drop Cloth collection which gives form to the alchemy of humanity as she pieces together recycled remnants, childhood imprints and urban nostalgia until they are something entirely new and exciting— in short, different.”

This Is Different is only on view July 13–18, so be sure not to miss this fascinating show.

Jimi Hendrix once said, “The story of life is quicker than the blink of an eye, the story of love is hello, goodbye.” This was the inspiration behind The White Room Gallery’s third summer 2021 exhibition, Once Around—a show of works by Russell Young celebrating the lives of pop icons who took this message to heart, as well as the original proverb: ‘You only go around once (so make the most of it).

“For our Once Around exhibit we wanted to celebrate the spirit and passion that defines a life,” McCafferty and O’Neill say. “Making the most of it is exactly what the pop icons brought to life by our inimitable featured artist Russell Young did. We have the femme fatales in all their beauty and the bad boys in all their mug shots. There are no angels in this exhibit unless you agree with what Jim Morrison said, that ‘Death makes angels of us all.’”

Once Around is on view July 20–August 15, ending the same day as the annual Hamptons Market Art + Design (Art Market Hamptons) event. The fair’s 2021 return on August 12 after a year off will feature 80 top galleries from around the world showcasing the work of hundreds of artists, including The White Room Gallery’s impressive roster for the event: Nelson De La Nuez, Russell Young, Craig Alan, TRAN$PARENT, Jane Waterous, Chad Knight, Seek One, Linda Colletta, Cabell Molina, Sylvie Perrin, Lynn Savarese, Martha McAleer, Joseph Kraham, James Leonard and Mr. Brainwash.

“Two years ago, the fair was such a success for us, and then after having to lose last year we wanted to go all in this summer in support of the fair and the arts and the return to a lifestyle that we had taken for granted,” McCafferty and O’Neill share. “We have two large booths and a roster of artists who are as diverse as they are talented. So diverse, dare we say, there just might be something for everyone—pop art, digital sculptures, abstract paintings, figurative paintings, mixed media, photography, blown glass, wildly engaging sculptures, LEGO art that will make you stop and say, ‘How the hell?’ and, of course, a few surprises.”

The White Room Gallery’s full stable of over 80 represented gallery artists is a testament to its lauded reputation. The gallery is contacted by artists seeking representation daily, and the co-directors do extensive research to decide which artists are best suited to join their ranks.

“We represent emerging and established artists from around the world and about 20 are local artists, with our most famous being Joe Stefanelli and Sasson Soffer from the New York School of abstract expressionists. Sculptors, photographers, painters and glass blowers round out our local represented talent,” McCafferty and O’Neill say, adding that their goal is to maintain a gallery with a “cool, welcoming vibe,” without pretense. “Being artists and collectors ourselves, we understand the journey of creating and procuring, and we treat art as an investment that goes beyond pure enjoyment. We represent a diversified and talented roster of artists. We delight in helping collectors curate their homes and businesses whether it be through pieces on hand or commissioned works, and we maximize exposure on all our online platforms.”

In addition to its glowingly reviewed gallery services, The White Room Gallery is devoted to doing charity fundraisers through performing arts. The gallery has also formed a partnership with Cliff Young Ltd. at 200 Lexington Avenue, showroom #505, in New York City, supplying all the artwork for the luxury design showroom.

The White Room Gallery is open year-round at 2415 Main Street, Bridgehampton. Call 631-237-1481 or visit thewhiteroom.gallery to learn more.