The Peter Marino Art Foundation in Southampton opens Thursday with new exhibitions of artworks by Y.Z. Kami, Betty Parsons and Carla Accardi, and Robert Nava, plus a display of Tiffany silver. The shows, which will run through Oct. 3, are curated by Peter Marino, the internationally renowned architect, from his personal collection, which includes paintings, sculpture, drawings, photography, and furniture and ceramics ranging from ancient Egypt to the present day.
Kami, an Iranian-American artist, is represented by 18 paintings and photographic works, among them portraits that use sfumato, a technique dating from the Renaissance to soften the transitions between colors, and “architecturally inspired Dome paintings,” according to the foundation, which hover between depiction and “geometric concentric compositions of repetition.”
Parsons (1900-1982) and Accardi (1924-2014) were two “influential yet distinct figures of 20th-century avant-garde art whose works are presented together in the double-height Cathedral Gallery.”
Parsons was an American abstract painter and sculptor who also had an illustrious career as a New York City gallerist. A champion of Abstract Expressionism, she was the only dealer willing to represent artists like Jackson Pollock after Peggy Guggenheim returned to Europe in 1947. At the same time, she maintained “a rigorous artistic practice creating vibrant works characterized by their bold, playful, and expressive style.”
Accardi was “a pioneering force in postwar abstract art in Italy.” Blending “gestural strokes and hard-edge forms,” her paintings “relate primarily to symbols and signs which are integrated into her works.” In 1961 she transitioned from black and white to color and began painting on sicofoil, a transparent plastic, instead of canvas. By the mid-1960s she was using that new material sculpturally, and her work was represented in the 1976 Venice Biennale.
“Ten large-scale colorful paintings” by Nava “feature mythical creatures, dragons, and animals. Constantly drawing and reworking his own sketches, Nava experiments with both figuration and materiality.” Rendered through a mix of spray paint, acrylics, and grease pencil, his work draws inspiration from sources as disparate as prehistoric cave paintings, Egyptian art, graffiti, and cartoons.
“For more than 180 years, Tiffany & Co. has been synonymous with the art of silversmithing,” it says on the Marino Foundation website. “Over 100 Tiffany mixed-metal works from the late 19th century highlight expertise in each object. Pitchers, tea kettles, trophies, vases, and more demonstrate a wide range of Japonesque and nature-inspired designs.”
Complementing the exhibitions will be Brunch With Bob, a series of conversations hosted by Bob Colacello and Isabelle Marino, the foundation’s co-associate directors, along with Peter Marino. The first program, set for June 13, will feature Kami. On July 18, Kelly Taxter and Flavia Frigeri, curators, will discuss Parsons and Accardi, and Nava will be on hand on Aug. 1.
The Peter Marino Book Club, a series of author talks and book signings, will return for its fourth year. On Aug. 15, Marino will discuss his new book, “Tiffany Silver,” which focuses on his collection. Nicole Wittenberg, an artist, will take part with her debut monograph on Aug. 27.
The foundation is open to the public on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays for guided tours and general admission. Advance reservations have been recommended.
