The Lucore Art Presents 'Moment of Motion' in Montauk

The Montauk art scene continues to produce exciting shows and vibrant work this fall as Moment of Motion featuring paintings by Marilyn Church and David Slater kicks off at The Lucore Art this Thursday, November 6, with an official opening reception on Saturday, November 15 from 4–7 p.m.

In the words of the show’s curator, The Lucore owner Chris Lucore, Moment of Motion invites viewers to experience “painting as an act of living — bold, tactile, and present. Between story and abstraction, these works reveal how movement, memory and emotion meet on the surface of the painting.” The exhibition, on view through December 2, brings together two accomplished East End artists with contrasting yet complementary styles.

“This show is really about the living pulse within painting — how both artists use motion, memory, and emotion to capture something alive on the canvas. Marilyn channels that energy through abstraction and intuition, while David translates it through story and observation. The result is a dynamic conversation between two artists who have each defined their own way of seeing,” explains Lucore, who has been running his gallery in Montauk for five years with new shows every three weeks.

“It’s a very dynamic scene happening out there in Montauk,” Slater, now 85, says of how he found himself showing with The Lucore after years working with Southampton gallerist Peter Marcelle, who died in 2022. “The mainstream Hamptons art scene has become a little bit, I’m not knocking it, but it’s kind of inbred, and all the young rebels are out there in Montauk. So I kind of like that idea, like the new frontier,” Slater continues, adding later, “I’m realizing lately that my generation, over the past 20 years, many of those people are gone now. So this is a whole new wave of people coming along, which is good to see.”

The Springs-based artist, who is known for mixing collage and found objects into his colorful, narrative pieces, says Lucore went through his work and selected the pieces for this show. “Some come from my beach series, where I would go to the beach and do drawings, and it would evolve into a painting,” Slater points out, noting that his paintings are born from a lifetime of experiences and revelations, including growing up in the shadow of World War II, his activism facing arrest and violence alongside the Weather Underground and other protestors occupying Wounded Knee, South Dakota in 1973, the loss of his sister, and other moments from his many years upon this earth.

“I have several sources of series that I keep going back to, some are personal experiences and memories,” Slater confirms, adding, “It’s hard to say where certain works come from, or why certain works came about.”

Church, on the other hand, speaks of movement and color in her brilliant, lively paintings. A courtroom sketch artist by trade, she says her fine art paintings offer a departure from that concise style. “I spent so many years drawing in court where I had to be specific, tell a certain story, and mostly very high-pitched, emotional stories, when people’s lives are on the line, and my painting is a refuge from all that. I’ve really enjoyed being on my own journey with it, painting what’s evoked whether it’s memories, my own personal stories, or what’s happening to me at the moment,” the Amagansett artist, who is also in her mid 80s, explains.

Focusing on the themes of this exhibition, Moment of Motion, Church says, “It’s a really important element to me, motion. To me, that makes it alive and moving and exciting. When things are without gesture and movement, they’re not alive to me. It just seems such an important element.”

And like Slater, she also points out what a pleasure it has been working with Lucore, who both artists say brings a youthful energy while also being wise beyond his years.

The Lucore Art is located at 87 S Euclid Avenue in Montauk. The gallery is open daily 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays) or by appointment. Visit thelucoreart.com for more info.