Barry McCallion’s Books
The Springs Historical Society, which launched a series of Small Works exhibitions last year at the Springs Library, is taking a new tack for 2025 with the first of a series of solo shows, selected by its art committee.
“The Oarsman’s Library: Books by Barry McCallion” will open tomorrow with a reception from 4 to 6 p.m. and continue through Jan. 26. Teri Kennedy, who organized the show, says that it “merges visual art with narrative in a dynamic exploration of literature and tactile engagement.”
Mr. McCallion’s one-of-a-kind books feature an impressive range of materials and techniques. They are best experienced by opening their boxes and exploring the contents, which will be an option at the library, where the artist will be present, offering insights into the works. (The show also includes textless, purely visual narratives.)
The combination of visual art and literature makes sense. Mr. McCallion, who lives in Springs, was an English literature major at Columbia University, and went on to earn an M.F.A. at Claremont Graduate University, where he became involved with Fluxus, an international network of artists, composers, and designers.
Among the authors whose work has inspired his books are Edgar Allan Poe, Walt Whitman, W.B. Yeats, Seamus Heaney, John Milton, Christopher Smart, and Joseph Conrad.
Beauty in the City
“Life Reflections,” an exhibition of photographs by Carl Broady, will open tomorrow at the Southampton Cultural Center, with a reception from 4 to 8 p.m. It will run through Jan. 31.
Mr. Broady’s photography, which he calls “urban-ography,” reflects New York City, his hometown. He seeks to amplify the inherent beauty in his subjects, which range from abstract city signage to hip-hop culture to classic cars and trucks to red roses to the human hand to the homeless.
The show is hosted by Fashion and the Arts, a nonprofit that supports emerging fashion designers, artists, and art-based initiatives in underrepresented areas.
A question-and-answer session with Mr. Broady will take place at 6 p.m. in the venue’s theater, and a piece from the exhibition will be auctioned off to benefit Fashion and the Arts. Cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and entertainment will be on offer at the free event, for which a $10 donation has been suggested.
