The Leiber Collection and Sculpture Garden in Springs will open for the season on Saturday with three new exhibitions. A reception will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. for “Judith and Gerson Leiber: A Passion for Fashion,” “Gerson Leiber: An Inexplicable Light,” and “Garden of Friends: Ode to the Sea.”
“A Passion for Fashion” celebrates the shared creative life of the Leibers, which reflected a deep and enduring commitment to beauty, craftsmanship, and imagination.
Judith Leiber’s meticulously constructed handbags, noted for their inventive forms and sense of whimsy, were displayed in art museums and collected and worn by first ladies and movie stars. They are paired with her husband’s fashion paintings, which were created over the same years as the handbags and exhibited and sold in the Leiber showroom. Together the works show a dialogue between disciplines, with fashion and fine art informing each other.
“An Inexplicable Light” highlights Gus Leiber’s last working decade, which culminated in a triptych titled “An Inexplicable Light.” The exhibition illuminates his enduring exploration of abstraction, color, and form in his later years.
“The works in the exhibition reveal a distilled, contemplative vision: bold yet meditative compositions that balance structure with spontaneity,” says the museum. “Through layered geometry, luminous color fields, and an intuitive sense of rhythm, Leiber sought to express something beyond language: a quiet, ineffable presence he often described as ‘light.’ ”
The three paintings that constitute “An Inexplicable Light” convey a sense of resolution, “while remaining open-ended, inviting viewers to reflect on the mystery and beauty that defined his artistic practice.”
Each spring, “Garden of Friends,” installed throughout the property, features a group of East End artists whose work displays a strong connection to the natural world. This year’s theme is inspired by the ocean and its influence on local life and creativity.
Participating artists are Denice Banks, Monica Banks, Scott Bluedorn, Philippe Cheng, Jeremy Dennis, Sabra Moon Elliot, Donna Green, Jeremy Grosvenor, Laurie Lambrecht, Sutton Lynch, Jill Musnicki, Cindy Pease Roe, Nicole Rosenthal, Julia Scheuer, Bastienne Schmidt, Janice Stanton, Bill Stewart, Shane Weeks, and Almond Zigmund.
“Ode to the Sea” will remain on view through Dec. 6.
