Neighbor News
The Leiber Collection Opens to the Public
A stunning collection of Judith Leiber handbags and Gerson Leiber paintings will be exhibited at the Leiber Collection.
THE MARRIAGE OF TRUE MINDS
By Jeffrey Sussman
The marriage of true minds is what Judith and Gerson Leiber shared for more than 72 years. Theirs was, indeed, such a marriage, each of their beings complemented and supported the other. With Gerson’s urging, Judith established the Judith Leiber Company, which produced the most artful handbags the world has ever beheld. And with Judith’s support, Gerson became the acclaimed modernist painter that he was.
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The Leibers each died on April 28, 2018. Gerson had stood over Judith’s bed the night before their deaths and whispered, “Sweetie, I think it’s time for both of us to go.” Later, in the early morning hours of the next day, he died five and half hours before Judith breathed her last breath. It seemed as if they had willed their nearly simultaneous departures. They had lived their lives of mutual support and that mutuality continued to the end. At their funeral service, Jeffrey Sussman commented that “if Romeo and Juliet had lived into their nineties, their love would have been like the love that Judith and Gerson had for one another.”
And now, in celebration of the Leibers’ magnificent contributions to the worlds of fashion and art, the public can enjoy a joint exhibition of Judith Leiber handbags and Gerson Leiber paintings.
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Through the generosity of the Judith and Gerson Leiber Foundation, countless lovers of art and fashion can behold the accomplishments of two fine artists who through long and fruitful lives complemented each other’s creative outputs. In previous summers, the Leibers welcomed visitors to share their collections in their Renaissance-style Palladian museum and on the seven acres of surrounding gardens. They would be pleased to know that fans of their works continue to enjoy the exhibitions, for it is the legacy they worked so diligently to ensure. Indeed, it is their generous contribution to posterity.
The Leiber Collection is located at 446 Old Stone Highway, Springs, East Hampton, NY. It is open from 1 PM to 4 PM every Saturday, Sunday, and Wednesday from May 26 to Labor Day. The website is www.leibercollection.org
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