Nicolas Bellavance-Lecompte on Bringing NOMAD to the Hamptons 

Nicolas Bellavance-Lecompte has spent much of his career in motion. Born in Montreal, he studied architecture in Canada and Italy before stints in Austria and Berlin eventually led him to Milan. There, frequent trips to the Middle East inspired him to open Carwan Gallery in Beirut and immerse himself in the region’s rapidly evolving cultural landscape. As he traversed the international design fair circuit, however, he began to imagine a different model that favored intimacy, conversation, and a stronger connection to place. That idea eventually evolved into NOMAD, the itinerant art and collectible design fair that has spent the past decade occupying some of the world’s most remarkable venues. Previous editions have transformed a 14th-century Carthusian monastery in Capri, Karl Lagerfeld’s former villa in Monaco, and a decommissioned airport terminal in Abu Dhabi into temporary stages for exquisite craftsmanship and museum-caliber works.  

Now, from June 25 through 28, NOMAD will arrive in the United States for the first time, transforming the Watermill Center into its latest destination. Founded by late director Robert Wilson, the beloved East End institution has long championed artistic exploration through residencies, performances, and cross-disciplinary exchange. That ethos aligns naturally with NOMAD’s site-specific approach, which places equal importance on the setting and the works it contains. The Hamptons also bear a rich creative legacy—throughout the 20th century, preeminent artists including Jackson Pollock, Lee Krasner, and Willem de Kooning established studios amid its windswept dunes and woodlands, captivated by the landscape and the freedom it offered.  

“In each edition, NOMAD responds to a context with a strong identity,” Bellavance-Lecompte says. “The Hamptons hold particular significance as a place historically shared by artistic experimentation. This edition is conceived as a meeting point between international galleries and a deeply rooted cultural landscape.” 

That dialogue will play out through a roster of prestigious exhibitors that spans Gallery FUMI, The Future Perfect, Todd Merrill Studio, Robilant, Maison Gerard, J. Lohmann Gallery, Tristan Hoare, The Spaceless Gallery, Jeff Lincoln Art + Design, and Leila Heller Gallery. A series of special projects will extend the experience into previously uncharted realms. They include “The Language of Craft,” an immersive installation by Brazilian jeweler Silvia Furmanovich that unpacks the artisanal traditions behind her most celebrated pieces, as well as the latest chapter of Giorgio Armani / Unveiled, a recurring exhibition platform curated by Abby Bangser. Developed in response to the Watermill Center and its idyllic landscape, the presentation features newly commissioned works by Ariel Dearie and Jonathan Kline in conversation with iconic works by Armani / Casa in Murano glass and Limoges porcelain. On the center’s western terrace will sit a pavilion with a collectors lounge designed by Jessica Gersten featuring sculptural furniture by Nader Gammas, John Salibello, and Gersten herself.

Ahead of the fair’s debut, in an interview that has been edited for length and clarity, Bellavance-Lecompte spoke with Galerie about bringing NOMAD stateside, honoring Wilson’s legacy, and what visitors can expect from this new chapter. 

What made the Hamptons and the Watermill Center feel like the right setting for Nomad’s first American edition? 

NOMAD has never been about occupying convention centers or staging fairs in obvious places. For our first U.S. edition, we wanted a destination with a strong identity—somewhere that could stand alongside the resort locations that have defined NOMAD over the past decade. 

I explored possibilities across the country, from Colorado and Florida to California and upstate New York. Then, during a conversation with one of the Watermill Center’s trustees in Italy, she suggested the venue. I had never considered it before, but the more I learned, the more it felt like a natural fit. She connected me with the team, and Robert Wilson was immediately enthusiastic about the idea. He saw it as an opportunity to bring a new dynamic to the center. 

When I visited, everything clicked. The unique architecture, the wooded setting, the cultural history, and the location in the heart of the Hamptons all felt right. The center also has the infrastructure to welcome large audiences, which is rare in the region. I had the chance to meet Bob in Milan during what would be his final performance there. We spoke about the project, and he gave the green light for it to move forward. That made the opportunity even more meaningful. 

What excites me most is the way NOMAD continually reinvents itself through place. We have occupied a decommissioned airport in Abu Dhabi, an orthopedic hospital in St. Moritz, a 15th-century Venetian palazzo, a Carthusian monastery in Capri, and Karl Lagerfeld’s villa in Monaco. The Watermill Center adds another chapter to that story. It feels like a perfect fit. 

The Watermill Center really does feel like a natural home for NOMAD given Robert Wilson’s embrace of artistic experimentation.  

Absolutely. The Hamptons itself also played an important role in our thinking. NOMAD was born in Europe, and the Hamptons has always felt like a cultural bridge between Europe and America. For decades, it has attracted artists, collectors, patrons, and creative thinkers. That legacy remains deeply embedded in the place. The combination of architecture, landscape, culture, and community creates an environment where NOMAD feels particularly at home. There is also a sense that people have been waiting for an event with an international perspective to arrive in the Hamptons, which makes this moment especially exciting. 

How did the Hamptons’ legacy as an artistic enclave influence your thinking as you developed this edition? 

When you think about the generations of artists who have worked there, from Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner to Willem de Kooning and more contemporary figures such as Daniel Arsham, you realize that the creative energy that first attracted people to the Hamptons remains very much alive. Our ambition is not simply to bring a fair to the Hamptons. We want to contribute to an ongoing cultural conversation that has evolved there for decades. If NOMAD can add a new layer to that dialogue and open new perspectives for visitors, galleries, and artists, then we have accomplished something meaningful. 

Are there any galleries, commissions, or special projects that might surprise even longtime followers of the fair? 

This edition feels entirely new. We have multiple first-time participants and several projects developed specifically in response to the Watermill Center and Robert Wilson’s legacy. One highlight is a collaboration with the Gio Ponti Archives. Caterina Licitra, his great-granddaughter, will lead intimate tours of Wilson’s private collection, which has never before been accessible to the public. Visitors will discover works by Ponti within the collection and gain insight into the dialogue between these two remarkable creative figures. 

We’re also continuing our partnership with Armani, who shared a longstanding relationship with Robert Wilson and supported many projects at Watermill over the years. A new exhibition curated by Abby Bangser will be presented with special events celebrating that connection. 

Another highlight is an exhibition of previously unseen photographs by Dominique Nabokov documenting Wilson’s life and interiors. The presentation, curated by French architect Sophie Dries, will appear alongside works from the Robert Wilson Estate and Trust, including furniture pieces that will be offered to support the estate’s future activities. 

More broadly, this edition embraces the multidisciplinary spirit of Watermill. We deliberately selected participants from different creative fields and mixed them together to create a richer and more unexpected experience. 

NOMAD turns ten this year. After launching an edition in Abu Dhabi and now expanding into the United States, what does this moment represent for you? 

Expansion has never been about geography alone; it is about building cultural bridges. I don’t even like to describe NOMAD as a fair. It’s closer to an experience, one that brings together communities through discovery, conversation, and meaningful encounters. Each destination adds a new dimension to that mission. Abu Dhabi represents a fascinating dialogue between heritage and the future, and the Hamptons represents one of North America’s most significant cultural communities. 

The United States has always been an important source of collectors, galleries, and supporters for NOMAD, but we never had a permanent presence here. Establishing one felt like a natural evolution. What excites me most is the opportunity to connect different regions and perspectives. For example, we are presenting a project organized with Abu Dhabi Culture featuring Emirati artists at Watermill. Creating these exchanges matters to us. Art and design have a unique ability to bring people together, foster understanding, and create relationships that transcend borders. 

Looking ahead, what do you hope this inaugural edition contributes to NOMAD’s larger story? 

We won’t measure success solely through attendance or sales, even though both are important for our galleries and exhibitors. What matters most is creating discovery and meaningful connections. If galleries meet new collectors, artists begin new collaborations, and visitors leave with a broader understanding of contemporary creativity, then we have succeeded. We aren’t interested in creating temporary events that simply appear and disappear. We want to build cultural platforms that become part of the places they inhabit. 

NOMAD occupies places with history, character, and cultural significance, and the Watermill Center embodies all of those qualities. It’s a place where experimentation, beauty, and intellectual curiosity have flourished for decades, and I cannot imagine a more meaningful setting for our first American edition.