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Keith
Hernandez, Nello Balan, and LeRoy Neiman
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LeRoy
Neiman, Joe Dekama, and Jennifer Watters
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Last
Saturday night in Southampton, Nello Balan hosted an intimate
gathering to celebrate the unveiling of LeRoy
Neiman's "Nello Summertimes Collection",
the latest installment in Neiman's continuing depiction of "The
Good Life" — this time focusing on the polo matches
that have been a Hamptons tradition since the 1920s.
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Nello
Balan and LeRoy Neiman
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Painted specifically
for Balan's new restaurant "Nello Summertimes,” the
10 paintings will be displayed in what was the historic Old Post
House Inn, restored by Balan to its original baronial style, and
they'll be right at home amid the chandeliers, fireplaces, and
floral arrangements.
Neiman, now a dashing 78, is probably the most recognized living artist
in America. His storied, hugely successful career spans six decades — from
early basement boxing matches which gave rise to a lifetime interest in
prize fighting, to a four-year tour of duty in the military (where, to
the delight of his fellow enlistees, he often decorated the kitchens and
mess halls with wall-sized erotic murals), to becoming a fixture at every
major sporting event, from the Olympics to local football games, where
chants of "Put LeRoy in!" could be heard once the home team fell
behind.
A member of the New York City Advisory Commission for Cultural Affairs
since 1995, Neiman has been a longtime benefactor of the arts, donating
many of his works to charitable organizations as well as contributing to
institutions such as the School of the Arts at Columbia University, to
which he donated $6 million to the LeRoy Neiman Center for Print Studies.
Among those attending Nello’s opening exhibition were Bettina
Zilkha, Margaret Ledbetter, Richard Johnson, Sessa von Richthofen, "artist
in residence" Damon Johnson, Keith and Kai Hernandez, Patrick
and Liam McMullan, Lee Martins, Heather Tierney, Katie Tierney, Professor
George Nicholas, Taryn Lawrence, Christopher Kent, Lynn Quayle, Brook Christopher,
Joyce Howard, Irv Welzer, Lionel von Richthofen, Theresa Hill, Tracey Paul,
Jamie Camil, Vivian Bernal, Josette Armato, Anna Kulimova, Mina Albright,
Brittny Gastineau, Lisa Gastineau, Ronnie Copa, Sheila, Jennifer Watters,
Ann Thomas, Lynn Paulsin, Brook Christopher and John Finan.
— Chris Prendergast for NYSD |
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Kai
and Keith Hernandez
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Vivian
Bernal with the chef
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Lynn
Quayle and LeRoy Neiman
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Joan
Jedell
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Ann
Thomas and Lynn Paulsin
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Heather
Payne and Margaret Ledbetter
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Anna
Kulimova
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Sessa
von Richthofen
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Margaret
Ledbetter and Kenneth John McGregor
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Michelle
Salzman and Alisa Kauffman
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L.
to r.: Aaron Burser and Tracey Paul; Gloria Sheldon;
Brook Christopher and John Finan.
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Jennifer
Watters
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Robert
Ganker and friend
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Lionel
von Richthofen and Theresa Hill
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| Clockwise
from top left: Mina
Albright, Brittny Gastineau, Lisa Gastineau, Ronnie Copa,
Jennifer
Watters, and friends; Irv Welzer and Joyce Howard; Tracey Paul
and Jamie Camil; The band. |
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Lynn
Quayle and Brook Christopher
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Andrea
Pemberton and friend
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Heather
Tierney and Katie Tierney
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Lisa
Gastineau, Margaret Ledbetter, and Brittny Gastineau
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L.
to r.: Liam McMullan, Bettina Zilkha, Patrick McMullan,
Taryn Lawrence, Christopher Kent, and Margaret Ledbetter;
Vivian Bernal and Josette Armato.
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| Photographs
by Joe Schildhorn/PMc |
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