Many revelers at this week’s Guild Hall winter gala remembered that before Covid locked everyone down, they were celebrating the premiere East Hampton cultural institution at its 2020 annual gala. And while much has changed in these two years—the venue was now the cavernous Cipriani 42^nd Street—and, the 2022 honorees were Board Chair Marty Cohen and Michele Cohen without the customary Academy of the Arts recipients—the mood was exuberant, as this huge, yet intimate event of East End neighbors chatting, catching up has not lost any of its warmth. Academy president Eric Fishl recalled that in that pre-pandemic limbo, no one knew whether to fist or elbow bump but preferred to kick one another in the ankles. All these dressed up people kicking the s__t out of each other, he laughed.

Over the stage, photos of past recipients flashed, and a memorial reel including the most recent loss of the great Tony Walton, was a reminder of what a brutal two years these were. Among those cheering on Marty and Michele as they received a most fabulous white spiraled sculpture by Alice Aycock—far better than the usual crystal, Marty enthused– were Ralph Gibson and Mary Jane Marcasiano, Blythe Danner, Toni Ross, Peter Marino, Michael Halsband, and many more representing the vibrant community, many attendees former awardees. Patrick McMullen worked the room posing guests for photos. New inductees Renee Cox, RoseLee Goldberg, Rashid Johnson, Erik Larson, and others were introduced. Musicians from the New York Philharmonic performed Beethoven. 

Much has been accomplished in the long interim: April Gornik made good on her promise that the long-awaited Sag Harbor Arts complex would be completed. Add to that: a new arts space, The Church. Moving forward, Marty announced plans for a renovation that would restore much of Guild Hall’s historic bones.