Jackson Pollock, the Abstract Expressionist painter who spent years on the East End, once quipped that “painting is self discovery — every good artist paints what he is.”
It’s this form of expression that will be on full display at the 19th annual Hamptons Fine Art Fair.
From Thursday, July 10, to Sunday, July 13, the Southampton Fairgrounds on County Road 39 will be bustling with art lovers looking at paintings by artists from around the country and throughout the world.
This year’s fair features 135 galleries showcasing the work of nearly 600 artists. Eight artists have also been designated as spotlight artists to have their work prominently displayed. Those spotlight artists are: Ron Agam, James Gill, Giancarlo Impiglia, Robert Natkin, Yigal Ozeri, Stephen Rolfe Powell, Hunt Slonem and David Yarrow.
As one of the top art fairs in the United States, the fair was named by Forbes magazine early this year as one of the “12 Art Fairs and Events in 2025 worth traveling to.” It was only one of three American art fairs included, along with Art Basel in Miami Beach and the Armory Show in New York City.
The fair will feature four special themed booths, each with a unique theme and style. These booths are: “Dripping in Style,” which highlights the work of abstract artist Mark Grimaldi; “The Real Surreal,” featuring surrealist paintings from the Museum of Modern Renaissance in Somerville, Massachusetts; “Peruvian Female Contemporary Artists Rising,” which features six up-and-coming artists from Peru, whose work is inspired by the country’s landscape and environmental issues; and “Rising Stars From Down Under,” which features the work of three Australian female artists.
One of the new features of this year’s festival is SculptureHamptons, a section dedicated to showcasing sculpture and other three-dimensional mediums.
“What we decided to do was also have a focus on art objects, which are three-dimensional pieces like art glass, pottery, ceramics and wood carving,” said Rick Friedman, the fair’s executive director. “It’s sort of been overlooked in other art fairs, but it’s a real beautiful thing.”
Another new aspect is the launch of the inaugural Hamptons Jewelry Show that will be held from July 24 to 27 in the same space. Freidman noted, “We thought about categories, and we thought that jewelry was being overlooked here.” With over $300 million worth of jewelry on display, it’s something that won’t be overlooked anymore.
Friedman, the founder of the fair, previously worked in Hollywood and owned ShowBiz Expo, one of the largest expositions for the filmmaking industry. After he sold it, he returned to the Hamptons and came up with the idea of doing something similar for the art world and bringing those interested in the Hamptons to the area.
“I think a lot of the people around the world are fascinated with the folks who live here,” he said. “They’re known to be wealthy, affluent, intelligent and successful people who acquire beautiful things.”
Each year, the goal of the fair has been simple: Get the best artists from around the world to come and show off their art, as well as creating a networking opportunity for art lovers.
The fair will also see the inductions of two artists to the Hamptons Artists Hall of Fame, the third class of inductees. The hall was started in 2023 as a way to give more recognition to Hamptons-based artists.
“Some of the guys have really become famous, some of them have not,” said Friedman. “It’s a thin line between success and failure. So we’ve looked at over the year at the people who have painted out here, whether they’re still living or passed away, and we say, ‘There are certain people who are really great, really been overlooked — they should be more acclaimed than they are.’”
The first inductee, Ted Hartley, turned 100 years old this year and has still been painting. Friedman shared that he was stunned when he first read about Hartley’s life: Hartley was a U.S. Navy fighter pilot, a Hollywood actor and screenwriter, a White House aide to Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy, and was married to actress Dina Merrill.
The second inductee is Phyllis Baker Hammond, a Springs-based painted who died in 2024. Friedman said that “she passed away recently, and we want to honor her, give her a little bit of exposure.”
The fair opens on Thursday, July 10, with VIP previews in the afternoon and evening. Proceeds from the afternoon preview will benefit Guild Hall, while those from the evening preview will benefit the Parrish Art Museum.
VIP Collectors Day openings will be held on Friday, July 11, with an afternoon and evening session. Saturday and Sunday, July 12 and 13, will be open to the public in afternoon and evening sessions.
The Southampton Fairgrounds are at 605 County Road 39 in Southampton. For tickets and the full schedule, visit hamptonsfineartfair.com.