A massive sculpture built from stacked steel shipping containers has sparked a contentious legal fight in one of the Hamptons’ most sought-after enclaves.
Angry residents have derided the towering installation as a “junkyard mess,” while officials in Montauk are taking steps to have it removed.
The striking work — a 60-foot seated figure constructed from 12 industrial shipping containers — is now at the center of an escalating dispute over art, public safety and property rights in the coastal community.
Opponents argue that the oversized structure is out of place in an area celebrated for its scenic views and rural character.
Titled “Meditating Figure,” the sculpture was created by Los Angeles-based artist Matt Johnson and installed June 27 as part of the “LA Monumental” exhibition at The Ranch, a 26-acre private gallery property located on land that was formerly protected farmland.
Supporters have praised the piece as daring contemporary art, but many residents say they see it very differently.
Several critics have called the sculpture an eyesore, saying it overwhelms the surrounding countryside and sharply conflicts with Montauk’s natural landscape.
East Hampton resident Mitchel Agoos has emerged as one of the installation’s most vocal opponents.
East Hampton officials have launched legal action over a 60-foot shipping container sculpture installed in Montauk on Long Island
The artwork, ‘Meditating Figure,’ is constructed from 12 steel shipping containers. The sculpture was installed on June 27 at The Ranch, a 26-acre private gallery in Montauk
Artist Matt Johnson has created something similar in the past. Here he is posing in front of his piece Sleeping Figure in the Coachella Valley near near Desert Hot Springs, California in 2023
‘They’re grotesque and ugly and out of place on Old Montauk Highway,’ he said to the New York Post, describing the towering containers as a ‘monstrosity.’
Agoos added that each of the massive 40-foot shipping containers reminded him of the troubled East 42nd Street skyscraper in Manhattan that recently sparked safety concerns.
‘It detracts from the gorgeous landscape,’ he said. ‘I wouldn’t want this near me – it’s dreck.’
Others shared similar judgments.
Dr. Jennifer Jablow, of Southampton, called the sculpture ‘unsightly.’
‘Most of the sculptures out here enhance the area’s nature – not fight it,’ she said. ‘We live out here for the beauty of the nature, and this feels very rough.’
The artwork depicts a giant figure seated cross-legged in the lotus position, with its arms resting on its knees.
According to the gallery, the sculpture represents a ‘deity built by capital and consumption; a reality of the daily contemporary experience,’ describing it as a ‘contemplative giant.’
Town officials allege the installation was erected without the required building permit and certificate of occupancy
Some residents have called the sculpture a ‘monstrosity’ that detracts from the surrounding landscape. Others have described the installation as ‘unsightly’
But while the gallery celebrates the work’s symbolism, East Hampton officials are focused on something far more practical.
During a meeting Tuesday, the East Hampton Town Board voted 4-1 to begin legal action against The Ranch after concluding the gallery had allegedly failed to obtain the required building permit and certificate of occupancy.
Town spokesman Patrick Derenze confirmed the vote.
Town attorney Jake Turner argued that a structure constructed by joining together enormous steel containers required proper safety oversight before being erected.
‘If we don’t take action then we are compromising the safety of the residents,’ Turner said.
He stressed that the legal dispute is not about artistic expression.
‘It’s not a matter of what is being displayed, but how it’s being displayed … and make sure it’s legal.’
The town maintains that even installations on private property must comply with applicable building regulations.
Gallery owner and art dealer Max Levai insists officials are overreaching.
‘If I’d like to display sculptures on my property for my enjoyment, that’s my right,’ he said. ‘And if they’re not structures, they don’t need to be permitted.’
Levai said he had not yet been formally notified of any legal proceedings and noted that obtaining a building permit can take as long as five months.
He argued that such a timeline would stretch well into the exhibition, which is scheduled to remain open until November 15.
‘I want this resolved and for everybody to be happy,’ he said.
The controversy has spilled well beyond town hall.
The exhibition ‘LA Monumental’ is scheduled to remain on display through November 15
Johnson said the nearby horses create a meaningful contrast with the shipping containers, noting that horses once transported goods before containers took on that role
On social media, many commenters ridiculed the installation.
‘They call it art? It’s a friggin’ junkyard mess,’ one person wrote.
Another compared the sculpture to heavy traffic, writing: ‘Looks like the Long Island Expressway during Friday rush hour.’
But Artist Richard Sichel dismissed the backlash saying opponents were making far too much of the installation.
‘This isn’t a controversial sculpture – it’s just ballbusters,’ Sichel said. ‘It looks like one of the Transformers – it’s really quite fun. Art is always a statement.’
Johnson, whose work towers above the surrounding fields, said he intentionally positioned the sculpture so travelers approaching from the Montauk Lighthouse would see it rising above the landscape.
He said the nearby horses add another layer of meaning.
‘The juxtaposition of the horses nearby is particularly poignant as it was not so long ago that a horse and carriage served people’s need for transporting goods as these containers now do,’ Johnson said.
The artist emphasized that he has no involvement in the legal dispute now unfolding.
‘I’m just an artist trying to make interesting work,’ he said to the Post.
The clash comes in a community with a long artistic tradition.
Montauk became closely associated with artists decades ago, including pop art icon Andy Warhol, who helped cement the area’s reputation as a creative retreat.
