Solange Knowles and Dozie Kanu Headline the Glass House Summer Party
Saint Heron performances and a showcase of Dozie Kanu’s new collection for Knoll animated Philip Johnson’s celebrated New Canaan estate during the annual fête
The Glass House Summer Party ranks among the most anticipated events on the summer cultural calendar, and this year’s edition returned in full force on Saturday, June 6. Inspired by Philip Johnson and Dominique and John de Menil’s legendary 1967 Country Happening, the annual fête opens the storied New Canaan campus for an afternoon of art, architecture, music, and conviviality, all in support of the preservation efforts and cultural programming stewarded by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
This year’s celebration proved no exception. Guests roamed the landmark grounds with picnic baskets in hand, pausing for dance and musical performances curated by Saint Heron, design interventions by Knoll, and an Artsy-hosted silent auction featuring covetable artworks and design objects. Drawing notable figures from art, fashion, architecture, and philanthropy, the gathering again animated Philip Johnson’s celebrated estate with a spirit of cultural exchange.
Festivities began the moment guests arrived at the storied New Canaan campus aboard complimentary Range Rover Sports. Upon arrival, they collected picnic baskets prepared by local favorite Elm, whose seasonal menu channels the flavors of early summer. Glasses of Elm Côte de Provence Rosé and craft cocktails from Litchfield Distillery accompanied leisurely strolls across the rolling grounds, while many guests stopped at Max Mara’s summer café and the auction tent to browse the sale featuring works by Diango Hernández, Tomashi Jackson, Sam Moyer, Hayal Pozanti, Herb Ritts, and Josh Sperling, and other notable artists and designers.
Guests then drifted into the Glass House itself to experience Knoll’s much-anticipated design activation. For a single day, the American furniture company cleared the residence of its historic furnishings, replacing them with an installation conceived by artist and designer Dozie Kanu. Set against Johnson’s rigorous architecture, Kanu’s collection for Knoll introduced a welcome sense of warmth and material richness. It comprises a suite of tables composed of steel rods topped with taut leather surfaces trimmed in cascading fringe, drawing inspiration from African drums, ceremonial dress across the African diaspora, and the visual language of the American West.
Following remarks from Glass House executive director Kirsten Reoch and Knoll creative director Jonathan Olivares, guests made their way to the site’s underground gallery to view “Tomashi Jackson and Robert Rauschenberg: The Catch One.” The exhibition places newly commissioned paintings by Jackson in conversation with works by Rauschenberg drawn from The Glass House collection and the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. Invited to develop the project during a 2025 residency at Rauschenberg’s former home and studio in Captiva, Florida, Jackson reflected on the creative sanctuaries cultivated by white queer men. Several new paintings incorporate archival imagery related to Jewel’s Catch One, the pioneering Black lesbian-owned nightclub that became a vital cultural hub in the city.
As the afternoon progressed, guests gathered for a series of performances curated by Saint Heron, the multidisciplinary platform founded by Solange Knowles. The program featured an excerpt from Glory to Glory, with Malcolm J. Merriweather, Voices of Harlem, and pianist Artina McCain interpreting the music of pioneering composer Mary Lou Williams. Nearby, acclaimed choreographer Kyle Abraham staged a dance performance that began in the greenhouse-like sculpture gallery before extending across the grounds, drawing audiences along with it. Knowles herself mingled among attendees throughout the afternoon, pausing to photograph the performances and the sun-dappled scene that had taken shape across the estate.
Knowles was hardly the only notable figure in attendance. The guest list included collector Kyle DeWoody, architecture critic Paul Goldberger, Object & Thing founder Abby Bangser, architects Scott Fellows and Craig Bassam, director Jay Stern, artist Josh Sperling, painter Hayal Pozanti, and designer Deon Hinton, among others. Scroll below for more highlights from the afternoon.
