LongHouse Reserve, the 16-acre nature reserve and outdoor sculpture garden in East Hampton, will reopen to the public on April 17, with its celebratory seasonal opening, “Rites of Spring.”
Thousands of colorful daffodils will welcome visitors of all ages and, on display, will be new artworks by Daniel Arsham, John Giorno, Beverly Pepper, and Prune Nourry.
This will be LongHouse Reserve’s first season without its inimitable Founder, Jack Lenor Larsen, after his passing this winter. To increase access of Jack’s gift to the community, LongHouse Reserve will now be open to the public on Sundays.
The new works include legendary poet, sculptor, and Buddhist John Giorno’s “Do The Undone,” and “You Can’t Hurt Me Cause Storms Can’t Hurt the Sky.” In-demand contemporary artist Daniel Arsham’s “Venus de Milo” will be on display. The late American sculptor Beverly Pepper’s “Astatic Black Web,” “Shaddai,” and “Rain Shadow,” will be on display. French multidisciplinary artist Prune Nourry’s “Squatting Holy Daughter,” and “Walking Holy Daughter” will also be exhibited.
Ai Weiwei’s “Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads: Bronze” returns for another season. The twelve monumental bronze animal heads — each approximately ten-feet tall and representing the traditional figures of the Chinese zodiac — are installed around the perimeter of LongHouse’s outdoor Albee Amphitheater.
The LongHouse Reserve experience is reinvented each year by re-siting works in the grounds, which is unusual for most sculpture gardens. The permanent collection, including works by Buckminster Fuller and Willem de Kooning, returns and the beloved Yoko Ono “Wish Tree” is back awaiting visitors to tie their desires to its inviting branches. Some favorites are now installed in new garden spaces, creating surprising new perspectives. Discover and experience Eric Fischl’s “Tumbling Woman,” Judith Shea’s “Idol, Dale Chihuly’s “Cobalt Reeds,” and Yoan Capote’s “In Transit” in unexpected ways.
Timed tickets to LongHouse Reserve on open days are $15 for adults and $10 for seniors. There is no charge for veterans or active-duty personnel. LongHouse is always free for anyone 18 and under and for college students with a valid Student ID. A membership allows you to visit LongHouse Reserve as many times as you’d like throughout the season. Purchasing tickets in advance is strongly encouraged and can be reserved online at www.longhouse.org.