WMC EDUCATION PHOTO BY VIPIN KANNEKANTI
WMC COLLECTION PHOTO BY BRIAN LYNCH
of a 20,000 square foot main facility that maintains the original building’s footprint, a separate wood-shop and an outdoor studio. The Center has received numerous recognitions for its minimalistic design that is influenced by the traditional architecture of Indonesia and the Bauhaus school. Wilson was a student of Sibyl Moholy- Nagy, an architectural scholar and widow of Bauhaus artist Laszlo Moholy-Nagy. “Because I was still working in Europe, we mainly worked on the building during the Summer Program. We lived in the building even though it was illegal at the time,” says Wilson. “The first drawings were by Francois de Menil but many architects came through and put their stamp on the building. The building was constructed on a north-south and east-west axis. The center of the structure I call the Knee; like with a leg, it joins two similar structures. It is a breath in the center of the building, a place to stop and think. The wings are built as living andworking spaces; the north wing is usedmore for living and eating, and the south wing is for galleries and workshops.” The Watermill Center’s funding comes from the generous support of sponsors from across the globe, which is critical for a non-profit. More than half of its funding stems from it’s Annual Summer Benefit and Auction, which consistently draws notable guests.The benefit has featured performances by Rufus Wainwright, Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson as well as installations by artists such as Daniel Arsham, Dimitris Papaioannou, and Pussy Riot. “We always want to get better and if we can
WMC GALA PHOTO BY LOVIS OSTENRIK
raisemore fundingwe can offer the artistsmore and more when they come,” explains Rifkin. If you’re interested in donating to The Watermill Center, sponsoring an artist, program or exhibit, go to: watermillcenter.org/support The Watermill Center, 39 Watermill Town Road, Water Mill, NY. 631/726-4628; watermillcenter.org
--- Christy Smith-Sloman’s writing has appeared in Marie Claire, The Hollywood Reporter, Essence, Yahoo! and CBSSports.com among other publications.
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