The benefit for the Watermill Center on Saturday night was perhaps the edgiest event of the Hamptons summer season, a celebration planned around nine art installations created for the event.

“The first part is the most fun,” said Jamee Gregory, referring to the time before dinner when guests were free to explore the art.

Fun they were, except for Vadim Fishkin’s installation in the main entrance of the new building, which required guests to walk over a bed of large stones.

Major donors who helped bring in $1.3 million for the center were LVMH/Louis Vuitton North America, represented by Katherine Ross; Lisa and Richard Perry, and Katharine and William Rayner.

The animating presence of the event was the artist of the stage and founder of the Watermill Center, Robert Wilson.

“Bob really reaches out for his dream,” the art publisher Louise Blouin MacBain said. “Not many artists take the time to mentor young talent the way he does.” She spoke just as waiters in white jackets began serving dinner, which included white gazpacho with white asparagus, beef and corn pudding, and iced lemon souffle.

In his remarks, Mr. Wilson focused on accomplishing his dream of building a structure to house visiting artists, store his archives, and exhibit his collection. “The Bible says, ‘Behold!’ This is the center of the center,” he said.

Spotted: the Whitney’s Shamim Momin, Chelsea gallery owner Amalia Dayan, Mark Newhouse, Patsy Tarr, Isabella Rossellini, and Lou Reed.