“There is so much to love about Southampton, but I suppose the things I love most are the community of interesting and active people, the beautiful beaches, and, near and dear to my heart, access to the arts,” shares Renee Harbers Liddell, founder and CEO of Harbers Family Foundation and Harbers Studios, and Vice President, Board of Trustees, at the International Center of Photography.  Renee’s summer season is full of family time, as well as hosting inspiring cultural benefits which she shares in this new KDHamptons Lifestyle Diary, below:

KDHamptons: How long have you lived in Southampton?

Renee Harbers Liddell: I started spending summers in Southampton in 2010 when I was still living in Seattle. It began as a delightful getaway during the summer holiday season, but now that my husband Christopher and I live in New York City, we’ve bought a house in Southampton and are thrilled to be putting down roots for years to come with our children Brigitte and Luc.

KDHamptons: What does a perfect Hamptons day look like for you?

Renee Harbers Liddell: A perfect day would include a bike ride, a walk on the beach, Sunday service at Dune church, tennis with my daughter, golf with my husband and son, a visit to an art gallery, a Physique 57 class, a chance to shoot some images in the gorgeous east end light, dinner with friends, and a rousing game of Settlers of Catan with my family. Clearly, I wouldn’t sleep… too much fun to be had!

KDHamptons: Why do you think the Hamptons has such a strong connection to the art world?

Renee Harbers Liddell: We’re New Yorkers! Seriously, I think when you’re just a couple hours away from New York City, one of the world’s major centers of artistic excellence, and a large number of the people who live, visit or vacation here are either artists or patrons of the arts, you can’t help having a strong connection to the art world. It’s in our DNA.

María Magdalena Campos-Pons, from the series “Sagrada Familia” (Holy Family), 2000. © María Magdalena Campos-Pons / Courtesy of Lehigh University Art Galleries – Museum Operation

KDHamptons: Do you have any summer plans or benefits you are looking forward to?

Renee Harbers Liddell: Summer is my favorite season. I think it should be 6 months long! This summer I’m looking forward to several events surrounding the ¡Cuba, Cuba! exhibition that ICP is presenting in conjunction with Southampton Arts Center. We’re planning a great opening celebration on August 15 where we’ll mix fun aspects of Cuban culture with the momentous photography exhibition. The exhibition includes more than 100 color and black-andwhite photographs made from the 1950s to the present. ¡Cuba, Cuba! features work by over 30 Cuban photographers including icons Alberto Korda, Raúl Corrales, and Marucha (María Eugenia Haya) and American masters such as Hamptonites Burt Glinn and Elliott Erwitt. From the decadent Havana nightlife of the 1950s to the 1959 Revolution and its iconic leaders, to everyday life in contemporary Cuba, this exhibition provides a multifaceted portrait of the country.  I’m also looking forward to the event I’m co-chairing: Summerfest. This is the Southampton Arts Center annual celebration on September 3rd.

Tony Mendoza, Cuban fishermen, from the series “Cuba: Going Back”, 1996. © Tony Mendoza / Courtesy of Lehigh University Art Galleries – Museum Operation

KDHamptons: Have you visited Cuba?

Renee Harbers Liddell: I haven’t been to Cuba but it’s a country that has always intrigued me. My parents honeymooned in Havana before the communist revolution, so there’s a bit of sentimental longing, now that they’re both gone. Otherwise, Cuba is rather enigmatic to me. It’s so close, yet, because of the trade and travel sanctions of the past 50 years, it’s always seemed so far away. Interestingly, although Cuba has embraced many repressive tactics of other communist governments, it has given a great deal of freedom to its artists, which has created a vibrant artist community. I’m actually really eager to visit.

*Images of Renee by Zev Starr-Tambor