Last weekend in New Canaan, CT, Whitewall joined art and design patrons at The Glass House for its annual summer fundraiser benefitting Philip Johnson‘s architectural masterpiece. The unmissable soiree—filled each year with performances, curated food and beverage, an Artsy auction, and glitzy brand partnerships—kicked off at noon, welcoming visitors to the sweeping 49-acre property, highlighted by a modern activation by Knoll, the event’s presenting sponsor.
Glass House: Design in Dialogue with Architecture
Kirsten Reoch, Debbie Propst, Dozie Kanu, Jonathan Olivares. Courtesy of BFA.
Solange Knowles. Courtesy of BFA.
Inside the Glass House, historic furnishings were replaced for a one-day installation that introduced works by artist and designer Dozie Kanu, alongside modernist pieces by figures like Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Lilly Reich, and Philip Johnson himself. Elsewhere on the property, outdoor seating arrangements—including Knoll’s Richard Schultz 1966 collection—allowed guests to relax and experience the landscape as Johnson intended, as an extension of the architecture itself.
Fashion also played a role in the day’s programming, with Max Mara as a returning partner, too. The brand transformed a secluded corner of the grounds into an Italian cafè, complete with Piaggio carts that served coffee and espresso drinks, as well as gelato.
Music and Movement Across the Grounds
Courtesy of BFA.
Curated by Saint Heron, the multidisciplinary platform founded by Solange Knowles, a series of musical and choreographic works also unfolded across the grounds—in indoor and outdoor spaces, including the indoor sculpture center and near the pond. An excerpt from the organization’s ongoing “Glory to Glory” project featured Malcolm J. Merriweather and Voices of Harlem alongside pianist Artina McCain in a program centered on the spiritual compositions of Mary Lou Williams. Choreography by Kyle Abraham brought movement into the conversation with both sound and architecture, creating moments of reflection in dialogue with the landscape.
The performances exemplified the event’s commitment to interdisciplinary exchange. Set against Johnson’s glass-and-steel structure and the surrounding pastoral environment, the works invited audiences to consider how music, movement, and space can shape one another. Throughout the day, musician Gio Escobar of Standing On The Corner contributed an atmospheric soundtrack that further enriched the experience.
A Conversation Between Generations of Artists
Courtesy of BFA.
The Summer Party also coincided with “Tomashi Jackson and Robert Rauschenberg: The Catch One”—the season’s major exhibition at The Glass House, in what regulars call the “art bunker” on site. Bringing newly commissioned works by Jackson into dialogue with pieces by Rauschenberg from both the site’s permanent collection and the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, the presentation offered visitors another lens through which to explore questions of history, identity, and artistic legacy. The exhibition forms part of broader initiatives examining Rauschenberg’s influence while highlighting contemporary artists whose practices continue to expand the conversations he helped initiate.
As guests enjoyed picnic baskets prepared by New Canaan restaurant Elm, rosé, craft cocktails, and opportunities to bid on artworks and experiences through the event’s silent Artsy auction, the afternoon unfolded as a spirited cultural gathering, and less like a traditional benefit. Works by artists including Tomashi Jackson, Sam Moyer, Hayal Pozanti, and Diango Hernández were among the auction highlights, while a limited-edition photographic work by Dozie Kanu debuted during the festivities.
Courtesy of BFA.
