Support The Glass House

Dear Friends, Architecture, Art and Audience are our three motivations. The Philip Johnson Glass House is simply one of the most significant modernist sites in America, the private home that inspired a revolution in mid-20th century living that extends to the present day. The site’s remaining art collection provides a fascinating insight to the curatorial talents of Johnson’s partner, David Whitney. Between them, Johnson and Whitney significantly shaped the exhibitions and collections of the Museum of Modern Art’s formative decades. In opening the site for tours and in creating deeper and richer web content, our goal is to educate and inspire you, our local, national, and international audience.To accomplish our goals of preserving, restoring and performing original research, we count on the generosity of our supporters. We count on you!This year, more than ever, we need your help to balance our budget: Our endowment covers only 40% of our operations, preservation and programs.     Here is a look at some of our accomplishments in the 2011 season: New Tours Focus: Concentrate on art, landscape and /or architecture -you decide! Plein Air Afternoons: Unguided access for creative inspiration. Pure Glass: Short, sweet and the lucid heart of the property Cultural Experiences in Person and OnlinePrivate made Public: Salons hosted by cultural leaders are now available to all, either through an evening on site or connecting through an online film of each program. Preservation and Conservation: The first site-specific work by Donald Judd, Untitled, 1971, was cleaned and conserved this season. Explore documentation of its history, from archival images of the initial installation, to video of the conservation team at work and an online dialogue led by Flavin Judd. Important Research: A seminal biography of David Whitney, Philip Johnson’s private but influential partner, is essential reading for understanding of the legacy of Johnson, Whitney and the Glass House. CommunityGenerations Together:This fall marks our fourth year working with the New Canaan High School students and their teachers. This year’s projects included landscape photography and oral history films featuring local notable architects John Black Lee, John Johansen, and Fred Noyes speaking about his father, Eliot Noyes. These projects bring generations together to explore the important history of New Canaan and Modernism. All of the student-produced oral histories and many of their photographs can now be enjoyed on our website.47 Acres and 14 StructuresStorms: Besides the investments we choose to make, because we believe in them and their importance, there are the investments we need to make. Hurricane Irene, seasonal flooding and heavy unexpected snowstorms hammered the Glass House just as it did our neighbors. Repairs and canceled tours due to power outages and clean-ups resulted in significant lost revenues that severely affected our bottom line.  To maintain our role as an important community asset and site of international significance, we need your support. Please help us balance the Glass House budget with a generous year-end donation. We welcome your support at every level. Thank you for helping The Glass House to preserve and maintain these extraordinary structures and grounds, and to perpetuate the legacies of Philip Johnson and David Whitney through innovative and exciting educational programs. Learn more about how your gift makes a difference.We hope to see you at the Glass House soon.Sincerely,Rena Zurofsky Interim Executive Director As an additional thank you for your donation of $1,000 or more, we will send you a copy of the just published, limited edition Library of Philip Johnson. Written by Birch Cooper and Jordan Hruska, this beautifully illustrated book examines 100 titles from the architect’s Library/Study located at the Glass House site and features an introduction by Architect Robert A. M. Stern, textual analyses and 350 photographs. Donors of $5,000 or more will also receive invitations to an exclusive event at The Glass House during the 2012 season.

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