In the Hamptons, the Watermill Center Gala 2025 Honors Isabella Rossellini and Francis Kéré
The Annual Summer Benefit featured an electrifying edition titled "SCRIBBLE" presented by Van Cleef & Arpels
On Saturday, July 26, a who’s-who of art-world visionaries and summering culture-makers descended on the storied grounds of the Watermill Center for its highly anticipated Annual Summer Benefit—this year, an electrifying edition titled “SCRIBBLE,” presented by Van Cleef & Arpels. The evening paid tribute to two unparalleled honorees: the legendary Isabella Rossellini, whose creative influence spans cinema, environmental activism, and performance art, and globally celebrated architect Francis Kéré, famed for his transformative, sustainable, human-centered designs.
As golden hour bathed the East End in soft light, guests—among them celebrated artists, philanthropists, and Hamptons regulars—made their arrival down the Center’s winding, willow-flanked entryway, set aglow with site-specific installations and flickering lanterns. The Center, an interdisciplinary laboratory for the arts and humanities located in Water Mill, New York, invited attendees to immerse themselves among a thrilling constellation of performances and art exhibitions sprawling across gardens, meadows, and the Center’s vast gallery spaces.
Special guests included Rufus Wainwright, artists Joe Bradley, Alba Vinton, Miles Greenberg, Lidia Grey, Daniel Gortler, Benjamin Millepied, Brian Belott, Tara Khozein, and architects Charles Renfro, Roger Ferris, and Christian Wassmann.
Throughout the evening, guests mingled over cocktails and a grazing dinner artfully orchestrated by acclaimed chefs Jeremiah Stone and Fabian von Hauske Valtierra. Stations of inventive seasonal fare—mini short rib skewers in pitas, grilled cheese and tomato jam, hand-held pistachio little gem lettuce bites—encouraged roaming and conversation, as costumed figures and living sculptures beckoned guests deeper into Watermill’s surreal dreamscape.
While wandering through the pathways guests could happen upon Rossellini stationed on a stool, graciously answering questions, and posing for selfies. In a playful nod to immersive exhibition design, Rossellini’s acclaimed film series, Green Porno, was presented peep show–style inside a cluster of vibrantly hued, miniature houses nestled among the trees. Each intimate screening room offered a whimsical portal into the mysteries of animal mating—brought vividly to life through Rossellini’s signature blend of wit, theatricality, and scientific rigor. The multisensory journey continued at every corner: dynamic movement pieces erupting among the pines; sound installations only heard by putting one’s ear to the trees, immersive light installations glimmering against glass; and quiet alcoves where emerging international artists invited intimate participation.
At 9 p.m., the energy shifted as the After Party ignited, the air electric with anticipation. Visionary musician Kelsey Lu took the stage for a genre-defying performance, her celestial voice weaving through the night as revelers danced in the lantern-lit meadow. Then the DJ took over as the grounds became a fancy-dress rave under the summer sky. Dessert stations appeared with delicious strawberry banana two-bite donuts, alongside chocolate mousse with whipped cream; rosé flowed freely. The creative energy was palpable, with artists, patrons, and performers blurring the line between observer and participant.
Amid the revelry, the spirit of the Watermill Center’s mission—to champion radical experimentation and nurture global talent—shone brighter than ever. A final crescendo of dancing and connection unfolded beneath the trees, a fitting close to one of the Hamptons’ most transformative nights.
