Landscape Details founder Michael Derrig is hosting an exclusive new immersive summer exhibition featuring sculptures by renowned UK sculptor David Harber. The East Hampton landscape design company’s exquisite property sets an interactive scene for A Celebration of Art in the Garden.
The exhibition, on view for the public until August 31, will allow visitors to explore elements of light, landscape and water interacting through contemporary design just outside Derrig’s office and home. With Derrig’s “intuitive sense of space and structure” and Harber’s “meticulous attention to form and structure,” the two blended natural beauty with creative freedom in the exhibit, the artist says.
“Our pieces, when exhibited in nature as they are originally conceived, become alive and at one with their environment,” says Harber. “Nature is the spectacular backdrop and we embellish it in a subtle and respectful way.”
Derrig also notes the integration of art and nature coming together within the exhibition.
“A garden is a living canvas – a work of art in collaboration with nature,” says Derrig. It changes daily, evolves with the seasons and grows with every passing year. It reminds us to find beauty everywhere. David’s sculptures pull us more deeply into that discovery.”
Several of Harber’s sculptures are set within the two-acre gardens, each having their own unique charm to offer, and playing a pivotal role in the landscape.
“Each piece has been positioned to sit within a specific piece of the garden landscape,” says the artist. “They are designed to reflect both the immediate garden, and the world beyond, complementing the palette of existing planting as created by Michael and the Landscape Details team.”
“Mantle II,” a garden sphere formed from delicate latticework of verdigris bronze petals gilded on the inside, is immersed in the mediation pool, designed by Derrig, just outside his offices. The 24-carat gold leaf interior shimmers and reflects the sunlight coming off the ripples in the water. Harber describes it as “serene, dynamic, mesmerising, and totally spectacular,” especially at night.
The limited edition sculpture, displayed in its largest size of 55 inches, also comes in 30 inches, 39 inches and 47 inches.
“The Armillary Sphere” sundial, set atop a stone colum in the cutting garden, was inspired by Harber’s fascination with the solar system. The sphere is made from bronze with a verdigris patina applied that can also be made in antique tan, a marine grade mirror-polished stainless steel or brass. It can be customized with coordinates, dates, names and more.
“Dark Planet,” formed from irregularly polished black slate shards, adds tactility to another garden off the pool house and is “visually arresting” according to Harber’s description, leaving viewers mesmerized in both the night and day, as light fizzes between the stones.
Placed in the rear of the garden mirroring the surrounding foliage, “TORUS” features convex curves, and stainless steel texture reflects the sunlight glimmering off the water. The large sculpture is mirror-polished in stainless steel, with combination selections including Welsh slate, black pebbles, Carrara marble, and a scaled-down version available for indoor display.
“Flo,” a limited edition of 25 pieces, has been placed by the pool house. It has a rich tapestry of colors that complement a vast changing landscape and offers an aesthetic of classic vibes meeting the contemporary. Precise brushwork and heat were used to create the sculpture and it was the first Harber piece to feature a hot patination finish.
“Quiver,” inspired by the ripples in a field of ripening wheat, is nestled among the trees in the main garden. Made up of 15 steel rods, each capped with a mirror-polished, stainless steel leaf, they form a cluster of reflective images that shift as the wind blows.
Harber hopes visitors see how nature can be a beautiful landscape for meaningful work.
“I take inspiration from nature for my sculptures. Landscape Details creates natural environments where humans can find calm and aesthetic pleasure,” the artist says. “We are nurtured by nature and when it is further embellished by meaningful art, the combination is calming and cathartic and allows the visitors to be reminded that time spent admiring beauty in all forms, particularly in the healing natural environment of a garden, is to be cherished.”
The exhibition is available by appointment only, taking place every other Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. For more information regarding the exhibit, email enquiries@davidharber.com or landscapes@landscapedetails.com.
