Watermill Center Unveils ‘Upside Down Zebra,’ a Celebration of Childhood Art and Contemporary Creativity

The Watermill Center is feeling especially playful this summer.

The arts center, founded by Robert Wilson in Water Mill, N.Y., will unveil its “Upside Down Zebra” exhibition on June 28. Co-curated by artist Brian Belott and Watermill’s curator Noah Khoshbin, the show includes over 300 pieces from the Rhoda Kellogg International Child Art Collection, co-mingled with 40 works by contemporary artists, installed across the art center’s six indoor galleries.

Kellogg was a leading researcher of early childhood art, exploring the spontaneity and significance of unfiltered mark-making at young ages. Her collection features millions of childhood artworks across developmental milestones — from scribbles to finger paintings and pictorial works — and has served as a major source of inspiration for Belott’s own artistic practice.

“ The scribble itself is probably the most meaningful work that exists, because it’s where meaning is born and where form is born,” says Belott. “And dedicated her life to tracking the taxonomy of mark making, from the scribble through various stages.”

The exhibition stems from a previous exhibition staged by Belott, who has performed his “sound scribble” audio works at Watermill and was an artist-in-residence at the center during the pandemic. “ So now he’s back, as an artist and a curator,” says Khoshbin, adding that he’s “ utterly blown away by the quality and power” of the Kellogg collection.

Contemporary artists co-mingled in the exhibition include Belott, Katherine Bernhardt, Robert Nava, Eddie Martinez, Carroll Dunham, Walter Price, Richard Tuttle, Christopher Wool, and more. Around half of the artists created new works in response to the collection, while others selected existing works that felt in conversation with the theme.

“ I wanted something abrupt and jumbled,” says Belott of the “celebratory and nonsensical” title “Upside Down Zebra.” “ What Rhoda is all about is lines, gestalts and patterns,” he adds. “What separates a horse from a zebra? Its stripes. So I think of ‘Upside Down’ as being kind of like a scribble.”

The exhibition is dedicated to late Watermill supporters Donald Baechler and Lisa de Kooning, who both have connections to the Kellogg collection and artwork in the show. On July 26, Watermill will honor Isabella Rossellini and Francis Kéré at its annual gala fundraiser, themed “Scribble,” and debut new outdoors installations by artists Petrit Halilaj and Ugo Rondinone.

There’s plenty of time to make it out east to join the fun: “Upside Down Zebra” will remain on view at the Watermill Center through early 2026.