OPEN HOURS | The Disappearance of Landscape: Oakleyville

Visitors may book a 1 hour appointment to view the current exhibition at The Watermill Center. For more in-depth visits, we invite guests to book a guided tour.

The Disappearance of Landscape: Oakleyville

August 29 – March 20, 2027

This exhibition investigates the practices of five artists who lived and worked between New York City and the sparsely populated Fire Island community of Oakleyville from the mid-1960s to present day: Sheyla Baykal (1944–1997), Peter Hujar (1934–1987), Matthew Leifheit (b. 1988), Paul Thek (1933–1988), and Ann Wilson (1931-2023).

Featuring a selection of paintings, photographs, and sculptures made by the artists while in Oakleyville, the exhibition recognizes the environment as a collaborator and dictating force in artists' work, rather than strictly a subject to be represented or a site upon which artists impose ideology. Against this backdrop, The Disappearance of Landscape: Oakleyville reflects on Fire Island as both a site of artistic community and a fragile environment increasingly under threat, foregrounding the role of landscape not simply as a subject of representation, but as an active force in the creation of art.

Curated by Noah Khoshbin & Marcelo Gabriel Yáñez.

Support for this exhibition is provided by the Robert D.L. Gardiner Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Blue Rider Group and the Rick and Debbie Kleeman Charitable Fund.

Additional Information

PLEASE NOTE: Please arrive 15 minutes early to allow for the check-in process. Advance registration is required. Space is limited.

For more information about The Watermill Center Tour or to make private group reservations, please email visit@watermillcenter.org or call (631) 726-4628.

Please note, tours of the building may require the use of stairs. The Watermill Center is committed to providing accessible programs and services for all patrons and artists with disabilities. For further information and accommodations, please email us at visit@watermillcenter.org.