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 itself is a testament to New Canaan’s architectural legacy, an elegant structure where space, proportion, and transparency merge seamlessly with the surrounding landscape. By bringing contemporary art into this historic site, the exhibition opens a dialogue across time — between the architectural vision of the mid-twentieth century and the creative practices of today.
This exhibition spotlights New Canaan’s unique legacy of art, architecture, and design — a history that has shaped the cultural identity of the community and continues to draw recognition far beyond its borders. Stevenson’s work, with its finely tuned sensitivity to materiality, form, and spatial presence, extends this legacy into the present. Installed within the Gores Pavilion, her pieces respond to and amplify the building’s modernist language, engaging viewers in an experience that underscores the resonance between architectural environment and artistic expression.
At its heart, this exhibition affirms that the stories embedded in New Canaan’s built environment are not static, but alive — capable of being reinterpreted, reanimated, and reconnected with contemporary audiences. Stevenson’s work does not simply occupy the Pavilion; it activates it, reminding us that spaces once conceived as private are now reimagined as public sites of cultural reflection.
By situating 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 ways. This exhibition is not only a celebration of history, but also an invitation to imagine how that history continues to evolve, shaping the cultural vitality of the town today and for the future.
The exhibition will run through October 26th and will be visible from outside of the Gores Pavilion in the park's operating hours, from dusk till dawn, or by pre-scheduled appointment through ARDEN + WHITE GALLERY. Appointments can be requested via email: gallery@ardenandwhitegallery.com.
Special thanks to the New Canaan Museum and Historical Society for their partnership in this collaboration, developed to honor the past culmination of modern art and design and to connect it meaningfully to the present.
Gores Pavilion at night, image by Michael Biondo
Gores Pavilion interior, images by Michael Biondo
