EAST HAMPTON, NY — July 12, 2025 — Beneath the canopy of summer stars and surrounded by world-class sculpture and luminous gardens, the 2025 LongHouse Reserve Summer Benefit—aptly titled LUMINOSITY—set a new standard for elegance and purpose in the Hamptons’ social calendar.
“This is our most successful benefit ever,” declared Louis Bradbury, President of the LongHouse Board, to a sold-out crowd gathered at the beloved 16-acre sanctuary of art and nature. “With 100% board participation, we sold out even before invitations were mailed,” he added, underscoring the powerful resonance LongHouse continues to hold for the cultural and philanthropic community.
This year’s honorees included Mary Jane and Charles Brock, devoted patrons of LongHouse, and the legendary artist Vija Celmins, whose meticulous renderings of oceanic vistas and celestial stillness were praised by Richard Armstrong, Director Emeritus of the Guggenheim Museum, as “portraits of infinity.”
In a heartfelt tribute, Mary Jane Brock reminded guests, “Mother Nature and Jack Lenor Larsen gave us this masterpiece of a place. Let’s ensure it flourishes for generations.” The evening’s themes—light, legacy, and living artfully—came to life through vibrant music, gourmet cuisine, and a deeply moving sense of community.
A standout announcement came from LongHouse Director Carrie Rebora Barratt, who revealed plans to soon open founder Jack Lenor Larsen’s modernist home to the public for the first time, thanks to a combined $340,000 in funding from the Town of East Hampton and generous trustees. A sneak-peek film by co-chair Gael Towey, narrated by architectural luminary Paul Goldberger, offered a glimpse of what’s to come.
The benefit’s art auction, led by Pamela Willoughby and Dianne Benson, was a collector’s dream, featuring over 80 works from icons including Andy Warhol, Cindy Sherman, Eric Fischl, Laurie Anderson, Robert Wilson, Tony Bechara, Daniel Arsham, Kenny Scharf, Maryam Eisler, and the late Jack Lenor Larsen himself.
The guest list read like a who’s who of art, design, and philanthropy, including: Patrick Amato, David Fink, Maryam Eisler, Anne Erni, Peter Bickford, Bonnie Comley, Fred & Michele Doner, Alexander Hankin, Toni Ross, and Robert Wilson, among many others.
The event was generously supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, Northern Trust, Loro Piana, Diptyque, Wölffer Estate Vineyard, The Colony Hotel, and more than two dozen luxury sponsors spanning interiors, fashion, spirits, and fine hospitality.
LongHouse Reserve—founded by the visionary Jack Lenor Larsen—is a living case study in harmony between art, nature, and life. With over 60 permanent and rotating sculptures from artists like Buckminster Fuller, Yoko Ono, Toshiko Takaezu, and de Kooning, the garden is a sanctuary for discovery, reflection, and inspiration.
As LongHouse transitions from a founder-led vision to a public legacy, the 2025 Summer Benefit reaffirmed its mission: to inspire living with art in all forms and steward a space where creativity, community, and conservation coalesce.
Learn More: www.longhouse.org
