The Ark

This book presents the Church’s new exhibition, The Ark, uniting powerful animal sculptures that, like Noah’s Ark, offers hope that humanity’s compassion and creativity can guide us through global crises.

An undeniable pall hangs over the future of our world, with prospects looking increasingly uncertain and frightful. The interlocking social, political, and environmental crises exist on a planetary scale. However, from antiquity forward, the idea of an ark gave hope that humanity will, through resourcefulness, compassion, and solidarity, shepherd the world beyond catastrophe.

The Ark, an extraordinary exhibition at The Church in Sag Harbor, brings together sculptures from several generations of artists who have captured humanity’s deepest pleasures and fears through imagination and self-expression. Curated by renowned artist Eric Fischl, this collection resonates with the ancient story of survival against overwhelming odds. Within this contemporary ark, you’ll discover sculptures that embody the inherent beauty of animals while simultaneously exploring the mythic, visual, and cultural with unexpected power.

This book presents works that are not mere representations but embodiments of mysteries in our struggle for survival and protection against a hostile world. From Louise Bourgeois’s monumental spiders to Deborah Butterfield’s reclining horses, from William Kentridge’s bronze pigeons to Jane Rosen’s ethereal glass raptors--each piece invites contemplation of our place in nature.

Eric Fischl is an internationally acclaimed American painter and sculptor. His artwork is represented in many distinguished museums throughout the world and has been featured in over one thousand publications. His extraordinary achievements throughout his career have made him one of the most influential figurative painters of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.