Sculpture at East Hampton Art Studio Must Come Down

The East Hampton Village Design Review Board ruled on Wednesday that a silver sculpture situated outside a recently opened art studio on Gingerbread Lane must be removed.

Shortly after the sculpture was erected outside the new Mannix Studio of Art, code enforcement officials informed Karyn Mannix, an East Hampton artist and gallerist, that if she did not remove it she would face a fine.

Dan Reichl, a code enforcement officer and building inspector, said on Monday that per village code, "anything that goes outside of any commercial building in the village, or any changes to the exterior, needs to be approved by the design review board prior, which it wasn't."

Ms. Mannix was allowed to keep the sculpture, which was created created by Steve Zaluski, in place pending the D.R.B.'s decision, but now has 30 days from the notice of violation to remove it. She said on Thursday that, while she has asked for an explanation as to why the sculpture could not remain, it will be removed this weekend.

"It's no big deal," she said on Thursday. "I wish I went to them first, but I didn't know. I'm disappointed that it didn't get okayed, because I'm not in the main 'walking' village. Granted, I am in the incorporated village, but I'm shocked. Disappointed and shocked."

Ms. Mannix said that she will return to the D.R.B. with a rendering of a different sculpture and seek its placement in a different location on the property. Had the D.R.B. allowed the sculpture to remain, it would still have had to be moved, as a portion of it was situated on village property.

The studio, which opened last month, offers classes for adults and children 6 and up.

"There's a lot coming up," Ms. Mannix said, "but people need to sign up for it to stay open."