About the Collectors
Collectors Rick Friedman And Cindy Lou Wakefield reside in Southampton on the East End of Long Island, NY, where many Abstract Expressionist painters lived and worked, dating back to the 1950’s. These artists, pioneering a new art genre, had indelible impact and presence that can still be felt today in this arts centric community of over 1,500 artists.
It was Wakefield, a popular Southampton educator who was freelance writing for the Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center in East Hampton, who, on their first date, encouraged Friedman to explore and seek out work by these artists. Inspired after reading the book, “Hamptons Bohemia: Two Centuries of Artists and Writers on the Beach” written by Helen A. Harrison, Director of the Pollock-Krasner House, Friedman began to focus their collection on these 1948-60’s “local painters.” Since many of these local painters help ignite and champion the most significant art movement in America in the 20th century, Abstract Expressionism, Wakefield and Friedman realized that the importance of these regional artists expanded way past the pristine beaches and tony hamlets of the Hamptons, so much so that, the artists of the Hamptons were the artists of America.
Their earliest purchase together was Elaine DeKooning’s Cave #24, red oxide wall, Friedman still recalls the elation and strong emotion both felt hanging it seeing it on the wall of his home. Now bitten by the “collecting bug,” this launched them on an endless 16 year long journey in researching and acquiring both male and female artists of the AbEx era and so-called New York School.
Some 250 museum-level paintings later, which includes 6 small pieces by “the patron saint,” Jackson Pollock, their collection was now a wide and vast spectrum of the artists of that era, as well as the major European artists that influenced and ignited this NY / Hamptons AbEx movement.
As the collection grew, it became apprarent to them that there was a sizable gap in recognition, appreciation and valuations between these male and female painters. This sparked the commitment to focusing and collecting works by the “hard-driving but under appreciated” women Abstract Expressionists so as to better acknowledge and salute their important contributions. Friedman and Wakefield realized that these women artists were creating works as good as, and sometimes better, than their well-publicized male colleagues. This is the genesis of their collection, and their motivation for displaying in a touring museum show 20 “now more acclaimed” Heroines of that vital era.
Rick Friedman, Collector, Art Fair Producer
Mr. Friedman is one of the most successful and popular event producers in the Hamptons over the past decade. He has championed the viewing, awareness and acquisition of fine art by creating the region’s first fine art fair, ArtHamptons, nearly a decade ago (conceived by Cindy Lou Wakefield). Its rousing success – and rapid growth in exhibitors and attendance helped make art collecting “the new sport in the Hamptons.” Attendance grew from 3,000 to 14,000 under his ownership, enabling him take the concept to other affluent markets, by trailblazing the first fine art fair in each city. Events included ArtAspen, Houston Fine Art Fair, SF Fine Art Fair, Palm Springs Fine Art Fair and Silicon Valley Contemporary. Over 100,000 art lovers attended his fine art fairs annually. In 2015, the network of fairs was sold to a major international media conglomerate. Most recently, he has reemerged onto the art fair scene, producing Philadelphia’s first ever contemporary art fair, and then pioneeringly the integration of contemporary and western art, in the Jackson Hole Fine Art Fair in 2018
Ever the entrepreneur, Mr. Friedman pioneered advanced software technology in the 1990’s through a world wide network of publications, conferences and expos in 6 countries. During that period, his SIGS Publications became one of the fastest growing privately held businesses in the US. His original team of advisors and writers included Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. After the sale of the company to private equity, he went on to pioneer and champion the growth digital media/digital video/special effects/animation with a series of expos which culminated with owning the venerable ShowBiz Expo in LA, the largest event for filmmakers in the world, (with 17,000 filmmakers in attendance and 250 exhibitors), which he acquired from Variety Magazine.
Earlier in his life, as a colorful entrepreneur, his range of ventures including creating, directing and hosting as series of Disco Dance Contests at Regine’s in the late 1970’s which was sold to and became the format of Merv Griffin’s popular “Dance Fever” syndicated TV series in the 1980’s. He then moved into sports promotion, focusing on volleyball, where his popular NCAA matches led him to owning the USA Mens and Women’s National Teams. His tours set national attendance and revenue records for the sport, including playing at Madison Square Garden.
Rick and Cindy Lou often lend artworks from the 250 piece art collection to museum exhibits, eclectically ranging from Guild Hall, The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, to the National Museum of Picasso in Paris. Rick Friedman, the collector, writer, producer, publisher, philanthropist, is a longstanding member of the Young Presidents Organization, and resides in Southampton.
The Heroines of Abstract Expressionism is currently on Exhibit at:
Southampton Arts Center – October 7-December 17, 2023