AO Onsite Auction/Event Review: The 16th Annual Watermill Summer Benefit, Watermill, New York. Saturday July 25, 2009

July 29th, 2009


Terence Koh and Simon De Pury at the 16th Watermill Summer Benefit. Photo by Patrick McMullan

Robert Wilson greeted his guests as they arrived at the 16th Annual Watermill Summer Benefit- an event he choreographs every summer in order to raise funds for the artistic community to which he is the director. The evening included a silent auction, a live auction hosted by Simon de Pury – Chairman of Philips de Pury auction house, over 10 art installations interpreting this years theme “Inferno,” dinner,  theater performances of various genres and attendance by many from the worlds of art, fashion and music.

Related Links:
Hot as Hell At Watermill
[ArtInfo]
Fire Starters at Watermill Benefit [WWD Lifestyle]
Isabella Rossellini shows for Water Mill Benefit [Newsday]
Flaming Creatures [ArtForum]
The 16th Annual Watermill Summer Benefit Hot As An “Inferno” [Hamptons]
About Watermill Center [Watermill Center]
The 16th Annual Watermill Summer Auction and Benefit [Art Observed]


Attendees walk the trails behind the 16th Annual Watermill Summer Benefit and Auction at the Hamptons, all photos by Art Observed unless noted

More text and pictures after the jump…


I’ll wait for you at the rising of the morning sun
, Davide Balliano, courtesy of the artist


I’ll wait for you at the rising of the morning star, Davide Balliano


Inside the Watermill Center


A light sculpture at dusk


Auction at the 16th Annual Watermill Summer Benefit in Hamptons. Photo by Patrick McMullan

Some of the works auctioned were pieces by Willem de Kooning, Jan Fabre, Barnaby Furnas, Andreas Hofer, Terence Koh, Sol Lewitt, Elizabeth Peyton, Fred Sandback, Dash SnowSam Taylor-Wood, Bill Viola, Andy Warhol and Robert Wilson. The highlights of the auction results are Douglas Gordon’s Portrait, which raised $150,000, Robert Wilson’s Voom Portrait (Panther) which sold for $80,000 and The Watermill residency lot which has raised $167,000 for fall and spring residency Program.  A Peter Lindbergh commissioned portrait sold for $55,000.


Rufus Wainwright, arts administrator Jorn Weisbrodt and Klaus Bisenbach at the 16th Annual Watermill Summer Benefit in the Hamptons. Via Hamptons


Variations on the theme “Inferno”


The walkway to the center


The main yard and attendees


More performance artists on the grounds


The beginning of trails that led to various installations and performance pieces on the grounds.


At the auction preview


Aziz and Duha Friedrich and Christophe de Menil at The 16th Annual Watermill Benefit in the Hamptons. Via Hamptons


The 16th Annual Watermill Benefit. Photo by Patrick McMullan


A gallery set up in the woods on the Watermill Center grounds.