Huntington Landmarks, Landscapes Pictured In Exhibit

By Janee Law

jlaw@longislandergroup.com

“Oheka Castle,” by Ellen Dunn, features the historic landmark of Oheka Castle in Huntington. Photo by Ellen Dunn

Artists were recently asked to submit their depictions of Long Island landmarks for a Cold Spring Harbor art exhibit.

The #MyLongIslandLandmarks Art Exhibit, hosted at the Society For The Preservation of Long Island Antiquities at 161 Main St., consists of hundreds of entries, including paintings, photographs and other mediums, all depicting scenic views of Long Island, such as those near lighthouses, bridges and historical sites.

The exhibit is a culmination of a social media invitation issued in February. It asked Long Islanders to submit their ideas of Long Island landmarks. The inspiration for the juried competition was led by the Instagram hashtag, #MyLongIslandLandmarks, and curatorial selections from well-known artists who use Long Island as a subject.

Several works of art also featured landscapes and historical sites within the Town of Huntington, including the Fort Golgotha and the Old Burial Hill Cemetery in Huntington village; Huntington Harbor; the Vanderbilt Museum in Centerport; and Oheka Castle in Huntington.

Photographer and Huntington resident Kenny Ng is one of the artists featured in the exhibit. His photo is titled “Old Burial Hill Cemetery.”

“Old Burial Hill Cemetery,” by Kenny Ng, gives a dynamic approach to photography by using a fisheye lens to distort the image. Photo by Kenny Ng

“One time I was experimenting with a new camera lens that I got and I decided to find a particular theme,” he said, adding that it led him to the cemetery.

The black and white photograph, taken at the Fort Golgotha and the Old Burial Hill Cemetery in Huntington village, was captured with a medium format film camera, giving the image more detail, Ng said.

“It’s different. I used a fish-eyed lens, which kind of gives it that slightly distorted look where it kind of curves a little bit on the side,” he said.

Other photographers that featured Huntington locations include Mary Ruppert, of Huntington, for “Huntington Harbor;” Ellen Dunn, of Merrick, for “Oheka Castle;” and Alissa Rosenberg, of Commack, for “A Winter’s Tale,” which was taken at the Vanderbilt Museum.

“Huntington Harbor,” by Mary Ruppert, features boats within Huntington harbor as the sunsets on the water. Photo by Mary Ruppert

“A Winter’s Tale” by Alissa Rosenberg, was taken at the Vanderbilt Museum in Centerport. Photo by Alissa Rosenberg

Jurors of the exhibit were Frank Olt, a professor of art at Long Island University; Joseph Szabo, a photographer; and Lisa Chalif, curator at the Heckscher Museum of Art in Huntington. The curator of the exhibit was Franklin Hill Perrell, co-director of the Artful Circle, an organization which offers lectures and guided visits to galleries, museums.

The exhibit is on display through Nov. 20. Admission is free, but a $5 donation is suggested.