‘Celestial Garden’ by Leo Villareal Opens at Guild Hall

Guild Hall in East Hampton opens “Leo Villareal: Celestial Garden” a new exhibition by pioneering American artist Leo Villareal (b. 1967), on August 5. The show will be displayed in the newly renovated Marks Family Gallery South featuring the premiere of Villareal’s newest light sculpture, “Celestial Garden.” Over the past 30 years, Villareal has created sequenced light artworks for museums and public spaces around the globe, transforming iconic city landmarks such as Westminster Bridge in London, the Bay Bridge in San Francisco, the Bleecker Street Subway Station, and the façade of the Brooklyn Academy of Music with his dynamic installations. The exhibition will be on view until October 15.

Villareal utilizes computer-generated algorithms to create mesmerizing, site-specific light artworks on a grand scale. Using custom computer software and complex coding, the artist designs unique, elemental frameworks that result in generative moving and evolving light forms.

“We are thrilled to present Leo Villareal’s ‘Celestial Garden’ in Guild Hall’s newly renovated Marks Family Gallery South,” said Andrea Grover, executive director of Guild Hall. “Villareal’s visionary techniques, combining experiential technology and light art, are aligned with Guild Hall’s mission to bring leading contemporary art to East Hampton. We are excited to share Leo’s immersive exhibition with our visitors in our new and improved gallery.”

“Celestial Garden” is a monumental light sculpture, over 10 feet tall and 28 feet wide, composed of an array of LED lights diffused through vinyl. Visitors will be invited to sit on zero-gravity chairs designed by the artist to experience the artwork. The abstract composition of moving images is inspired by intricate structures and systems found in nature. Villareal’s vibrant, hypnotic installation will envelop viewers in a dynamic interplay of light and sound. To further the immersive experience, the exhibition will be accompanied by an ambient, tonal soundscape made by Villareal of composed elements played back in random order in sync with the visuals.

“Villareal’s monumental, mural-sized light sculpture references the history of mark-making and painting, and will resonate with our visitors as artists have always been attracted to the East End of Long Island for its stunning natural light properties,” said Melanie Crader, Guild Hall’s Director of Visual Arts.

“I am honored to have an opportunity to exhibit my latest work, ‘Celestial Garden,’ at Guild Hall,” said Villareal, who is based in New York City and on the North Fork. “I very much appreciate Guild Hall’s history, which embraces a long-term interdisciplinary program as well as civically engaged interactions with the community. As a resident of Orient, NY, I am inspired by the deep creative legacy of arts on Long Island and am happy to be part of this legacy.”

“Leo Villareal: Celestial Garden” will be on view in Guild Hall’s Marks Family Gallery South from August 5 through October 15. Gallery hours are Thursday to Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. through Labor Day, and Friday to Monday, noon to 5 p.m. after September 4. Gallery admission is free. Guild Hall is at 158 Main Street in East Hampton. For more information, visit guildhall.org.