Much of the art world revolves around questions of value, not only in terms of appraisals and price tags, but also: what is worth your time in These Times, as well as your energy? , your attention and, yes, your hard-earned money?
What calculations do you make to determine the meaning and value of something? What moves you? What enriches your life? In this new series, we ask individuals from the art world and beyond about the assessments they make on a personal level.
Fashion designer and passionate collector Lisa Perry has a unique and fabulous talent for mixing the fields of art, design and architecture. Next weekend, Perry will present his magnum opus – the seasonal launch of his East Hampton gallery, Onna House, a gem of a modernist home that Perry historically preserved and meticulously renovated, and which is now a permanent space to celebrate the work of women artists.
Opening May 27, “Pearls, Pills, and Protests,” brings together the works of four contemporary artists – Kelly Tapìa-Chuning, Lulu Varona, Michele Pred and Jerelyn Hanrahan – in a striking exhibition that juxtaposes images and materials traditionally associated with femininity and femininity, including tapestry, embroidery, quilting and beadwork, but which have been converted into striking symbols for the defense of women’s rights through the personal stories of the artists.
For Perry, Onna House and the exhibit were a labor of love. She has devoted 25 years of her life to defending organizations dedicated to women’s health and the right to choose, and just as much to celebrating women artists, as well as those forgotten in the history books (Niki de Saint Phalle is a favourite). At Onna House, Perry has collected the work of more than 50 female artists and hopes her Hamptons location will become a go-to destination for art lovers.
But Perry also likes to take time to celebrate and loves spending time with artists and collectors, but especially her granddaughters. And still fashionphile, she’s still waiting for a 1965 Saint Laurent Mondrian dress auctioned. A trend in the art world that she could do without? NFT.
Recently, we spoke with Perry about what she values in art and life and why.
What’s the last thing you splurged on?
The last thing I splurged on was an artwork for the opening of Onna House’s summer exhibition.Beads, pills and protests.” The piece is a 50-foot outdoor sculpture of a giant strand of pearls by artist Jerelyn Hanrahan. This is a strong feminist statement in our exhibition, which highlights the work of four women artists fighting for equality.
Onna House. Photo: Jordan Tiberio.
What are you saving for?
I’m saving for the day a vintage Saint Laurent Mondrian dress from 1965 goes up for auction.
What would you buy if you found $100?
If I found $100, I would donate it to Planned Parenthood.
What makes you feel like a million bucks?
I feel like a million dollars when I connect a collector to an artist and they fall in love with their work.
What do you think is your greatest asset?
Being able to see the positive side of almost any situation.
What do you appreciate most in a work of art?
I appreciate the time, energy and passion that go into making a work of art.
Who is an emerging artist worthy of everyone’s attention?
I collect and exhibit nearly 50 female artists at Onna House, and although many of them have been creating art for years, they are often little known and can be considered ’emerging’. I don’t make favorites; all about the artists of the Onna House here 🙂
Who is an unknown artist who has not yet received his due?
Niki de Saint Phalle. Niki was a pioneer in everything… From creating an amusement park the size Tarot Garden to a monumental sculpture of a woman that visitors could enter through her open legs, to her work as an activist for social causes across climate change, gender, race and reproductive rights, she has left a significant mark. She was well known in Europe during her lifetime, but her work was little seen in the United States until her later years. Niki was a brilliant and humanitarian artist and was never right in her lifetime, which is still the case for too many female artists.
What do you think is the most overrated thing in the art world?
The NFT that sold for $69 million.
Onna House; photographed by Hannah Turner-Harts
What is your most valuable asset?
My prized possession today is Onna House: a mid-century architectural gem in East Hampton that exclusively features the work of female artists, designers, and makers. It reminds me of my childhood home in suburban Chicago – which was recently torn down – so I cherish the fact that I was able to save this space.
Lisa Perry’s pop art salon.
What was your best investment?
My Pop art collection, which I started 25 years ago with my husband, Richard.
What is something small that means the world to you?
My granddaughters!
What’s not worth the hype?
NFT.
What do you think is a good cause?
Abortion rights and gun control. Women’s bodily autonomy is being brutally attacked, and our country is also plagued by gun violence.
What do you aspire to?
I aspire to progress by advancing the visibility of female artists in the art world.
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