Lisa and Richard Perry’s home on the Upper East Side is like a little museum of the sixties, filled with Pop art, design, and inspiration. There are works by Indiana, Lichtenstein, Koons, and, of course, Warhol. Lisa’s eponymous clothing collection is also inspired by the decade, and originally started from the seeds of an incredible vintage collection and one-of-a-kind dresses inspired by their growing Pop art collection.
At their home east, their love of art remains, but the focus of the collection changes. It’s all Minimalist, which Perry has described to us as really, truly, her passion. “Calder is in our collection; he is my absolute favorite if I had to pick one artist,” she told us. Their home in the Hamptons has works by Frank Stella, Ellsworth Kelly, Donald Judd, and more from the fifties, sixties, and seventies. We recently spoke with Perry about her Minimalist collection, and her involvement in the annual two-part event benefitting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), The Hamptons Paddle & Party for Pink. This year it takes place on August 1 with special guests Lena Dunham, Gabby Reece, and Laird Hamilton. Artist and celebrity-designed boards are auctioned off on CharityBuzz.com to benefit the foundation.
WHITEWALL: You have such a vast collection. Can you tell us about the pieces in your home in the Hamptons?
LISA PERRY: The Hamptons collection focuses on Minimalist and geometric art from the fifties, sixties, and seventies. Included are early works by Alexander Calder, Frank Stella, Ellsworth Kelly, Alexander Liberman, Carl Andre, Larry Bell, Craig Kauffman, Donald Judd, John McCracken, César, and Niki de Saint Phalle.
WW: How do you decide which pieces live where, and do you ever rotate them between homes?
LP: The collections each have a different focus, so we do not rotate them between homes.
WW: We hear you have some very prominent pieces of outdoor sculpture. Can you tell us about that?
LP: One of the most special pieces we own is a 1939 Calder stabile, which sits at the entrance to our home. Our most recent acquisition is a 15-foot bronze thumb by the artist César. From fabrication to installation, it had quite a journey from France and was very exciting to witness. It’s a fun conversation piece!
WW: The Parrish Art Museum’s permanent collection includes so many great artists who had studios in the Hamptons, including Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Roy Lichtenstein, Eric Fischl, Larry Rivers, and so many others. Are any of these artists represented in your collection?
LP: Yes, we collect Lichtenstein and we have an early Larry Rivers collage work.
WW: As a designer, do you find that the Hamptons inspires your work?
LP: Yes, our setting in the Hamptons is an incredibly peaceful environment to work in and I love the way the view changes at all times of day and all seasons.
WW: Do you frequent any of the local galleries? If so, which ones?
LP: Eric Firestone, a local gallerist, has very similar taste to mine, and I enjoy his gallery.
WW: Have you discovered any hidden talent here?
LP: I think Jen Stark’s work is very colorful, alive, and modern, and Mia Fonssagrives-Solow does very cool sculpture.
WW: What can we expect to see at your Lisa Perry store in East Hampton this summer?
LP: We have a new centerpiece of the store. It’s our framed placemat wall. Normally, it is fashion for the table, now affordable Pop art. Our Manolo Blahnik splatter shoe collection and Lisa Perry electric neon accessories are this summer’s must-haves.
WW: You and Richard have been supportive of the Hamptons Paddle & Party for Pink since its inception. How did you become involved?
LP: We got involved, sadly, due to our friend Maria Baum, who was diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age. Richard shared his love of paddleboarding with Maria, which helped her de-stress during her rounds of chemo. Maria came up with the idea of doing a paddle event to give back to breast cancer research, and we were on board.
WW: What is it you are most proud of being involved in Paddle for Pink?
LP: Awareness to the cause and how we built a very successful event in just three short years.
WW: Any special moment from previous year’s event you care to share?
LP: I think seeing over 200 paddleboarders on the bay all united for this cause was an incredible sight.
WW: You have hosted the event at your home the past several years, and this year the location has changed. What can we expect to see as you are so involved in the event decor?
LP: I have to admit something spectacular is planned, but I can’t ruin the surprise. You all will just have to come and see for yourselves. After all, it’s a wonderful cause to support.
This article is in Whitewall‘s special Hamptons Issue out now.
