Life, Legacy and Love Story: The story of Holocaust survivor and handbag design genius Judith Leiber and modernist artist Gerson Leiber

“If Romeo and Juliet had lived into their 90s, they would have been Judy and Gerson.” That’s how Jeffrey Sussman described Judith and Gerson Leiber.
Join us as we explore a beautiful tribute to their creativity, their humanity, their love and their genius.

Judith Leiber was known for her small crystal-covered handbags called minaudieres, many of which took the forms of small animals, flowers or other objects. The bags often were decorated with gems or semi-precious stones and were gold plated. Singers and Hollywood celebrities, as well as several US first ladies, have carried her bags, which are part of several museum collections.

Gerson Leiber, known as Gus, was an artist who created abstract landscapes, prints and sculptures. His work has been featured in several prominent US museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Leiber Collection: The Leiber Collection is a beautiful jewel of a museum that sits majestically in a sublime sculpture garden, located in the East Hampton, New York hamlet of Springs. We are dedicated to sharing the life and legacy of Judith and Gerson Leiber through the continuation of their museum and through exhibitions, talks and presentations showcasing their creative genius across the country and around the globe.

The Leiber Collection offers unique insight into the astonishing story of Judith Leiber, a survivor of Hitler’s Europe who came to America and took the fashion accessory industry by storm, breaking taboos right and left, changing fashion history forever.

We also chronicle the extraordinary seven decades long career of Gerson Leiber, exhibiting the stunning paintings, etchings, lithographs, and drawings of this highly accomplished and creative artist.

The Leiber Sculpture Garden continues the Leibers’ lifelong commitment to supporting the arts by highlighting sculptors who were friends and neighbors of the Leibers’ as well as contemporary artists creating some of the most exciting work of today.

Introduction: Patti Kenner. Patti is an indefatigable advocate for social causes, including arts education, women in politics, Holocaust survivors and history. In addition to serving as a long time Guild Hall trustee, Patti is board member of the Defiant Requiem Foundation, the Museum of Jewish Heritage-A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, Carnegie Mellon University, and many others. In 2019, she underwrote the Patti Kenner Fellowship in Arts Education at Guild Hall to help enhance educational programming for youth.

Ann Stewart at Leiber Collection: Ann Fristoe Stewart is the Director and Curator of The Leiber Museum in East Hampton, New York. She had the great honor of working side by side with Judith and Gerson Leiber until their deaths in 2018. She is dedicated to keeping their legacy alive through the continuation of their museum, and through sharing their extraordinary works and the story of their fascinating lives with fans around the globe. Ann received a Masters of Fine Arts degree from Parsons School of Design in New York City, where she worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and for artists such as Jeff Koons, Rona Pondick and Kara Walker. During the decade that she has worked with the Leibers, she has curated numerous exhibitions at The Leiber Museum and in the Leiber Sculpture Garden, and has worked with many curators around the country to mount Leiber exhibitions at their museums and galleries. She is currently working on a 100 year celebration exhibition of Judith and Gerson Leiber, as well as an outdoor exhibition in the Leiber Sculpture Garden that will open on May 29, 2021 at The Leiber Museum.

Reflections of a Love Story: Mindelle Pierce: Mindelle has dedicated over fifteen years of her career to studying and teaching the history of the Holocaust. As a child of Holocaust survivors herself, she has a personal connection and insight into this history. Mindelle continues to contribute her knowledge and research to many renowned organizations, including the U.S Holocaust Memorial Museum in New York; the Museum of Jewish Heritage; and Manhattan College.

The full inclusion of people of all abilities is a core value of Classrooms Without Borders. For questions or to make requests for special accommodations contact [email protected]