Harper's East Hampton Celebrates 25 Years with Group Show

Harper’s East Hampton owner Harper Levine is celebrating his 25th anniversary of showing exciting art and rare books with a new group art exhibition, 25 Years, which showcases the many artists who have collaborated with him in shows throughout his career. The exhibition opened over Memorial Day weekend and will remain on view through Wednesday, June 22.

It all began here with Harper’s Books, now Harper’s East Hampton, at 87 Newtown Lane, where he began showing art at the encouragement of artist Richard Prince, his friend who is also featured in the show.

Levine spent decades as a bookseller, and came to art from a different perspective, allowing artists to experiment and have fun without worrying too much about market potential. The 25 Years group exhibition celebrates his unique perspective and the first principal admiration for artists that made his gallery “an under-the-radar art world powerhouse” according to Town & Country magazine.

25 Years features work by artists including Genieve Figgs, Marcus Brutus, Rashid Johnson, Joel Mesler, Frederic Tuten, Mark Grotjahn, Christopher Wool, Mary Heilmann and others.

Figgis, an Irish artist, brings color and ghoulish imagery to the gallery. Brutus, who recently had a solo show at Levine’s NYC gallery, is well connected through collaborations with other galleries and brands such as the Kith streetwear company. Johnson contributes conceptual post-Black art, and Mesler touches on universal themes through a filtered perspective.

Tuten, a novelist, has also collaborated with Levine in the past, as well as Grotjahn. Artist, a Los Angeles-based painter. Wool, focuses on post-conceptual ideas, while Heilmann who is also featured, focuses more on contemporary concepts through paintings, ceramics and furniture.

Additional artists showing in 25 Years include Young-Il Ahn, Derek Aylward, Eva Beresin, Deborah Brown, Brian Calvin, Alejandro Cardenas, Jonathan Casella, Claire Colette, Mairikke Dau, Rob Davis, Danielle De Jesus, Austin Eddy, Alannah Farrell, Nicasio Fernandez, Dan Flanagan, Eliot Greenwald, Salomón Huerta, Elizabeth Huey, Keith Jackson, Max Jansons, Michael Kagan, Scott Kahn, Susumu Kamijo, Ho Jae Kim, Matthew King, Stacy Leigh, Spencer Lewis, Tanya Ling, Charles Ly, JJ Manford, Eddie Martinez, Allie McGhee, Lizbeth Mitty, Angel Otero, Enoc Perez, Joani Tremblay, Lumin Wakoa, Austyn Weiner, Chloe Wise, and Guy Yanai.

Levine founded Harper’s Books in 1997, taking over the Newtown Lane spot that was first home to Glenn Horowitz Bookseller, another space offering rare books and art. The gallery and bookshop remains a cultural hub on the East End.

HARPER’S GALLERY LOCATIONS

He has additional locations in New York City and Los Angeles, including his flagship, Harper’s Chelsea 512, at 512 West 22nd Street; Harper’s Chelsea 534, at 534 West 22nd Street; Harper’s Apartment, uptown at 51 East 74th Street, Buzzer 2X; and Harper’s Los Angeles at 8115 Melrose Avenue.

Harper’s East Hampton is located at 87 Newtown Lane in East Hampton and is open to the public Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

Call 631-324-1131 to reach the East Hampton gallery, or visit harpersgallery.com for more info on all of Harper Levine’s galleries and his rare books and objects for sale.