“You’d expect nothing less splendid from a man who wove curtains for Eero Saarinen” Craig Kellogg
Jack Lenor Larsen, doyen of LongHouse Reserve, now 89 exemplifies living in the culture of art. LongHouse Reserve, Larsen’s sometimes home, is a 16 acre reserve with gardens, sculpture and curated collections in the Northwest Woods of East Hampton, N.Y. The three dimensional permanent and temporary installations allow the play of color, light and texture to be studied by students, tourists and regular visitors. LongHouse reserve allows the 10,000 visitors to experience art in real life as sculptures, gardens and ethnographic craft.
By definition. Art also encompasses performance, architecture, digital media, literature and video. LongHouse seems to utilize these forms as well. During the summer months there is performance art and events are thoughtfully produced to support the continuance of LongHouse, which houses designs by Yoko Ono, Willem de Kooning, Buckminster Fuller and more….
Jack Lenor Larsen is an internationally known textile designer, author and collector. Larsen mainly is known for his textures and colors using raw materials. Even his manufactured fabrics looked homemade.
“He believes visitors experiencing art in living spaces have a unique learning experience–more meaningful than the best media.” LongHouse
The property was secured in 1975. However, the home wasn’t built till 1986. Larsen found inspiration in the 7th century Shinto shrine for the sun goddess Amaterasu in Ise, Japan. LongHouse was designed by architect Charles Forberg and built by Joe Tufariello.
Visitors pay $10.00 a general admission when the gardens are open from April-October on most Wednesdays and Saturdays. There are several events throughout the season, with the most important being in July. Please check the calendar for more information.
Save the date: Saturday, July 22, 6:00pm-11:00pm for the Longhouse Summer Benefit.
Notables: Jack Larsen, Yoko Ono, Martha Stewart, Annie Leibovitz, Fred Savage, Eric Fischl, Ralph Gibson, Mary Jane Marcasiano and more….
133 Hands Creek Road
East Hampton, NY 11937
(631) 329-3568
