East Hampton Town Votes to Sue Gallery Over Massive Montauk Sculpture

The East Hampton Town Board voted 4 to 1 Tuesday to pursue legal action against a Montauk art gallery after a 60-foot outdoor sculpture made from a dozen steel shipping containers went up on the property without the required building permits or certificate of occupancy.

The work, titled "Meditating Figure," is by Los Angeles artist Matt Johnson. It was installed June 27 at The Ranch, a 26-acre gallery on Old Montauk Highway that sits on what was once protected farmland. Two other large-scale works are also part of the show, called "LA Monumental," which is slated to run through Nov. 15.

Town attorney Jake Turner said the structure — which involves welding large pieces of metal together — required safety inspections regardless of its classification as art. "If we don't take action then we are compromising the safety of the residents," Turner said, adding that even private property must comply with building codes.

Town spokesman Patrick Derenze confirmed that the gallery had ignored multiple violation notices before the board acted.

Gallery owner and art dealer Max Levai disputed the town's legal footing. "If I'd like to display sculptures on my property for my enjoyment, that's my right," Levai said, arguing that the pieces are not structures and therefore do not require permits. He said the town had not formally notified him of any legal action and that he wants the matter resolved.

The gallery describes the central piece as a "deity built by capital and consumption" — a contemplative giant seated in the lotus position. Johnson said he positioned the work so it could be seen from the road near the Montauk lighthouse and that the presence of nearby horses added a pointed contrast to the industrial containers.

Neighborhood reaction was mixed. Several residents called the sculpture unsightly and out of place, while at least one local artist defended it as a legitimate artistic statement.

Obtaining a building permit can take up to five months, a timeline that would effectively outlast the exhibition's scheduled run.