Opening Reception for artists Phoebe Washburn and Kirsten Deirup

In 2025 The Mill commissioned New York based artist Phoebe Wasburn to create Sacred Love (call me by my tool name) , a site-specific installation that was conceived in the artist’s studio in New York City and will resolve over several days at The Mill in Westport, NY. For this project, Washburn repeats the actions that she has revisited for over 20 years, organizing her scavenged and stored building materials into new structures and assemblages. Spanning across two galleries, playful, ridiculous and inefficient systems will tread the fine line between control and chaos as Washburn attempts to harness the energy of her creation.

Kirsten Deirup’s exhibition of paintings and works on paper emerge out of the Western art tradition of Still Life painting. Much like her historical precedents, a darkness or post-apocalyptic atmosphere frames a central flower pot of decay. But what reality is this? In place of an extinguished candle, unplugged power cords imply the botanicals are lifeless. Bejeweled flowers droop as they transition to the afterlife, attempting to take their precious earthly goods with them in vain. Is this an AI prompt gone wrong?

Join us for a reception with Phoebe Washburn and Kirsten Deirup to celebrate the opening of the exhibitions at The Mill in Westport, NY.