Come May 7, architects and Modern design enthusiasts alike will be flocking to the iconic Gerald Luss house in upstate New York for a unique exhibition of contemporary design.
Beginning on May 7, the Gerald Luss House in Ossining, New York is partnering with contemporary art galleries Blum & Poe of Los Angeles and Mendes Wood DM of New York along with art and design fair Object & Thing to host At The Luss House: Blum & Poe, Mendes Wood DM and Object & Thing. Until July 24, the exhibition will feature the works of contemporary artists and designers from both galleries and the Object & Thing fair, spotlighting their recent works.
Eddie Martinez, Ideal Location; © Eddie Martinez, Courtesy of the artist and Blum & Poe, Los Angeles/NewYork/Tokyo
The home itself is tucked on a forested lot in Westchester county, with sweeping views of the surrounding landscape provided by an envelope of floor-to-ceiling glass. Completed in 1955, the interiors will feel familiar even to newcomers, presenting works of contemporary art and design within the midcentury architecture and interiors. Wood, stone, concrete, and linoleum serve as the dominant materials inside, with a heightened feeling of minimalism that comes from the omission of rugs and window coverings.
The exhibition is the second of its kind produced by its organizers, seeking to explore the connection between today’s artistic ideas and those of bygone eras by showcasing new works in the context of an architect’s domestic environment. (The first took place in Fall 2020 at the home of industrial designer and Harvard Five architect Eliot Noyes.)
Set against the backdrop of the Luss House, the exhibition balances on an evocative juxtaposition—the home itself has reached something of an icon status for Modern design enthusiasts, as Luss himself stands as a pioneer in the mid-century commercial architecture space. He is best known for designing the interiors of the Time-Life building in New York, a project that saw its completion in 1959. Luss’s design firm, Design For Business, is often credited with popularizing the “Mad Men” style of architecture and design, and while his home is a departure from that particular style, it draws from the same laid-back, streamlined design sensibility. In contrast, the designs to be featured in At The Luss House push against the neatness of the home’s mid-century interiors, introducing micro-disruptions through the hand-wrought pieces of independent makers. The imperfections of these pieces, though, contribute a welcome tension in the otherwise balanced space.
Kishio Suga, Internal Boundary in Formation, 2010; © Kishio Suga, Courtesy of the artist and Blum & Poe, Los Angeles/New York/Tokyo
The exhibition will features works from 18 international artists in response to the house’s environment, including: Alma Allen, Lucas Arruda, Cecily Brown, Green River Project LLC, Eddie Martinez, Ritsue Mishima, Johnny Ortiz, Frances Palmer, Paulo Monteiro, and Marina Perez Simão, among others.
A group of ceramic vessels by Johnny Ortiz, 2021, photo by Maida Branch and Johnny Ortiz
Visits will be open to the public free of charge by appointment only, with limited reservations on Fridays and Saturdays during the weeks of the exhibition. Ticketing begins May 5; more details can be found through Blum & Poe, Mendes Wood DM, and Object & Thing.
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