In this, the Age of the Museum, where art is increasingly housed in grand structures designed by famous architects, it is important to remember that sometimes the most interesting art–architecture pairings happen in small, seemingly unremarkable settings. A wonderful example can be found in Bridgehampton, New York, at the Dan Flavin Art Institute, which was created by the artist in conjunction with the Dia Art Foundation in 1983.
This simple Shingle Style structure is home to a permanent collection of Flavin’s neon light sculptures and a gallery space for rotating exhibitions. The building was constructed in 1908 to serve as a fire station, and then converted in 1924 into a church. A Baptist congregation occupied it until the mid-1970s. Flavin, who owned a home in nearby Wainscott, collaborated with architect Richard Gluckman and Dia’s director of operations, Jim Schaeufele, while transforming the interior, and the result is exhibition space that references design, history, and location with remarkable sensitivity.
A show of early pieces by the artist (“Dan Flavin: Icons”) is on display through April 2017 in the first-floor gallery, which means the whole building is aglow with his work.
