Are technology and gardens two incongruous concepts? How about enjoying a space filled with sunloving plants in the darkness of night? Does it seem like a paradox? At Longwood, we don’t think so.
This summer we are bringing you Nightscape: A Light and Sound Experience by Klip Collective, which uses technology to illuminate the Gardens at night to amazing effect. This exhibition is a continuation of our nighttime garden experiences, a tradition that goes all the way back to our founder, Pierre S. du Pont. Mr. du Pont believed that gardens are for nighttime as well as daytime enjoyment. He entertained his family and friends at night, throwing garden parties that included dancers and musicians. He even built the Open Air Theatre to have a venue dedicated to entertainment in the garden.
Mr. du Pont introduced illuminated fountain shows to the garden—first in 1915 in the Open Air Theatre and then in 1931 in the Main Fountain Garden. We added fireworks to those Main Fountain Garden shows in the 1980s. Every winter we continue the nighttime experience with one of our most popular displays, our outdoor light show at Christmas. Those of you who visited us in 2012 will remember Light: Installations by Bruce Munro, an imaginative exhibition that gave our guests the opportunity to see the Gardens through a new lens.
Nightscape is a wholly different experience, from beginning to end. It ignites all of your senses and your imagination with colorful projections that are sometimes fun and playful and other times contemplative and emotionally evocative. The talented team at Klip Collective, led by Director Ricardo Rivera, began the planning process with us more than two years ago. Ricardo is an amazing visionary pushing the boundaries of cinematography, illusion and sound to create an experience like no other.
And what about technology and gardens? Some people think it’s counterproductive to bring technology to the garden, but it’s something we do every day. In fact, it’s what Mr. du Pont did. Technology is the secret that helps to drive our innovation, which is another legacy of our founder. Look no further than the Main Fountain Garden, which combined old world elegance with the latest innovations when it was built in the 1930s; the Revitalization Project continues this tradition by using today’s latest technologies to preserve an international treasure and to inspire future generations of guests.
What excites me the most is connecting people with gardens in new and different ways. This exhibition is not just for the horticultural or garden aficionado, it is for everyone.
Nightscape: A Light and Sound Experience by Klip Collective opens July 1, 2015. Tickets are on sale now.
