Art Out: LongHouse Reserve Summer Benefit 2019
Photographs and article by Federica Belli.
As soon as one steps into the LongHouse Reserve property, a magical atmosphere somehow replaces the calm and uniquely exotic feel of the East Hamptons area. Wonderfully curated gardens and scenic water basins make the perfect background for pieces of art guaranteed to take your breath away. Such a setting is a promising premise when organizing an event like the Summer Benefit.
The yearly appointment gathers some of the most prominent figures in the international art scene, having the main purpose of raising funds in support of education programs held in the Reserve while celebrating the vision of a selection of creative minds. The 2019 art auction specifically praises the vision of the renowned film-maker Julian Schnabel, the mind behind the screenwriting and direction of the masterpiece At Eternity’s Gate, while applauding Donna Karan, eclectic designer and philanthropist.
As if the magnificent expression of nature in the garden was not enough to leave any guest speechless, the organizers of the Summer Benefit plan every detail in order to make sure that the night turns out to be unforgettable: each visitor is guided to the art auction through a rose-petals surrounded path, as birds chirp in the sunset light. With pieces ranging from Horst P. Horst photographs to Andy Warhol’s Flower Candle and Ai Weiwei’s Sunflower seeds, the selection put together by the curators is varied and sophisticated, giving space both to renowned artists and upcoming talents.
As the attention to details does not stop to the exhibition, the crowd is selected to give rise to an upbeat atmosphere, promoting conversation and networking in a cocktail party right by the artworks, while encouraging guests to roam through the permanent collection of sculptures that makes the Reserve such a unique location.
Time flies by and it is not long before the party moves on to a sophisticated dinner, just a few steps away from the previous location. While the open-air tables quickly attract the visitors, the stage is ready to host Donna and Julian for their speech, wonderfully introduced by the melancholic exhibition of renowned piano player Benjamin Clementine.