ARDEN + WHITE GALLERY is honored to present an exhibition of work by Sarah Stevenson within the historic Gores Pavilion, a landmark of modern architecture designed in 1960 by Landis Gores, one of the celebrated “Harvard Five". The Pavilion stands as a masterwork of mid-century modern design — a structure that embodies clarity, balance, and restraint, where space, proportion, and transparency merge seamlessly with the surrounding landscape of Irwin Park. Its glass-and-steel geometry, softened by the organic rhythms of light and nature, reflects an enduring dialogue between architecture and environment.
By bringing contemporary art into this storied architectural site, the exhibition opens a conversation across time — bridging the vision of twentieth-century modernism with the imaginative practices of the present day. The encounter between Stevenson’s work and Gores’ design invites viewers to reflect not only on the evolution of form and material, but also on the ongoing dialogue between built space and artistic gesture. This exhibition highlights New Canaan’s remarkable and enduring legacy of art, architecture, and design — a history that has profoundly shaped the town’s cultural identity and continues to draw recognition far beyond its borders. Stevenson’s practice, characterized by an exquisite sensitivity to materiality, form, and spatial rhythm, extends that legacy into a new dimension. Her sculptures installation, composed with an acute awareness of gravity and light, converse elegantly with the Pavilion’s modernist language. Installed within this architectural setting, her work amplifies the building’s linear clarity and structural poetry, inviting viewers into an experience that merges perception, space, and atmosphere.
At its heart, this exhibition affirms that the stories embedded in New Canaan’s architectural fabric are not fixed, but alive — capable of continual reinterpretation and renewal. Stevenson’s work does not simply inhabit the Pavilion; it animates it, transforming the space into an active site of contemplation. Through her delicate yet assertive constructions, she reawakens the building’s original spirit of experimentation and openness, reminding us that spaces once conceived as private can become public arenas for cultural reflection and collective experience.
By situating a new artistic vision within this architectural landmark, ARDEN + WHITE GALLERY underscores New Canaan’s role as a place where art, architecture, and design converge in meaningful and evolving ways. This exhibition is not only a celebration of the town’s rich modernist history, but also an invitation to imagine how that history continues to shape the creative vitality of the present — and how it might inspire the generations to come.
The exhibition will be on view through October 26th, and may be experienced from the exterior of the Gores Pavilion during the park’s open hours, from dawn until dusk, or by pre-scheduled appointment through ARDEN + WHITE GALLERY. Appointments may be requested via email at gallery@ardenandwhitegallery.com.
Special thanks to the New Canaan Museum and Historical Society for their partnership in realizing this exhibition. This collaboration honors the profound intersections of modern art and design that have defined New Canaan’s creative legacy and seeks to connect that history meaningfully to the present moment — celebrating the continuity of vision, innovation, and artistic dialogue that endure within this community.
