FOR EXAMPLE, ANYONE INTERESTED IN BECOMING AN ORNAMENTAL HERMIT IN THE GARDEN OF DISCOMFORT?
TED: F YEARS, PURPLE FENCE AT THIS LOCATION HAS BEEN TRYING TO TELL US SOMETHING.
A MIX OF METAPHYSICS, HUMOR, AND ECSTATIC VISIONS, THIS PRIMITIVE ART PROJECT IS CONSTANTLY EVOLVING.
OWNER PETER VALENTI OPTED NOT TO SPEAK TO THE CAMERA, PREFERRING HIS FENCE DO THE TALKING FOR HIM.
BUT NOT ALL BOLD STATEMENTS REQUIRE WRITING ON A WALL.
AND NOT ALL ART HOUSES HAVE TO BE SPLASHED WITH COLOR.
SOMETIMES ALL IT TAKES IS A GREAT CONCEPT TO STAND OU >> THE IMPETUS WAS TO MAKE A HOUSE THAT STUCK OUT IN THE VIEW AND BE PART OF THE VIEW.
TED: HE HAD THE GOOD SENSE TO LISTEN TO HIS WIFE.
SHE LOVED VIA KOSPI, VIOLINIST WITH THE BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.
>> I ASKED FOR A RANCH HOUSE.
SURPRISINGLY -- NOT SURPRISINGLY KNOWING MY HUSBAND -- HE TURNED IT.
SO IT IS REALLY RANCH HOUSE EXCEPT IT IS TURNED THE WRONG WAY.
>> IT IS A RAISED RANCH.
>> THE RESULT, A CANTILEVERED BOX OF LIGHT, PROJECTING 46 FEET OUT FROM THE HILLSIDE.
INSIDE, A SENSE OF FLOATING ON AIR.
>> SOME PEOPLE GET VERTIGO BECAUSE IT IS SO LONG AND YOU CAN SEE OUT OF IT.
SOME PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO STAND AT THE END.
TED: BUILT ENTIRELY OF STEEL AND GLASS, THE STRUCTURE IS A REPLACEMENT FOR THEIR FIRST HOUSE ON THIS HILLSIDE, ANOTHER SHORTS DESIGNED EXPERIMENT MADE OF WOOD.
INTERESTING FOR SURE, BUT A TAD MUSTY.
>> THE OTHER HOUSE WAS ALL WOOD, AND THIS IS NO WOOD.
THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE.
THE HOUSE SMELLS BETTER.
>> NO WOOD ACCEPT THE VIOLIN.
TED: THERE MUST BE SOMETHING ABOUT THE BERKSHIRE HILLS THAT ENCOURAGES FANTASY TO TAKE FLIGHT.
IN TEARING HIM, THE ENCHANTING CINDERELLA ESTATE, BUILT B HENRY HUDSON KITSON IN THE 1800S.
IT FEATURES A SILO STUDIO COLLEGE STREET OUT OF -- SILO STUDIO COTTAGE STRAIGHT OUT OF A FAIRYTALE.
FANTASY IS ALIVE AND WELL IN NEARBY RICHMOND.
>> MY WIFE AND I ARE INTERIOR DESIGNERS, AND I WAS LOOKING FOR A DAY BE OUTSIDE.
TED: WHEN MATT LARKIN BOUGHT THIS BERKSHIRE HOUSE 30 YEARS AGO COMING HE FOUND THE GROUNDS TO BE PERFECT FOR A TOPIARY, THE ART OF CLIPPING SHRUBBERY INTO ORNAMENTAL SHAPES.
JUST ONE PROBLEM.
MATT: I REALIZED THAT IN EUROPE UNLIKE EUROPE AND ENGLAND LARGE-SCALE TOPIARY FOR THAT IT DOES NOT EXIST IN THIS COUNTRY.
TED: IT DOES NOW.
LARKIN TAUGHT HIMSELF HOW TO BEND NATURE TO HIS WILL, AND HOW TO WELD.
MATT: THESE THINGS ARE ALL MANIPULATED COME AS WE LIKE TO CALL IT.
WE ARE HEAVILY INTO WHAT COULD BE WHAT COULD BE CALLED PLANT TORTURE AROUND HERE.
WE MAKE HEDGES, WE CUT THINGS, TIE THINGS, BREAK THINGS, TORMENT THEM.
TED: LARKIN’S WORK AT BLACK BARN FARM HAS BEEN FEATURED IN MAGAZINES LIKE "HOUSE AND GARDEN" AND "VOGUE." HE HAS A SOFT SPOT FOR THE WHIMSICAL AND WEIRD, WHICH LEADS
US BACK TO A FAR CORNER OF THE PROPERTY.
MATT: WE ARE I THE GARDEN OF DISCOMFORT, WHICH IS A GARDEN I CONCEIVED AS A METAPHOR FOR THE FACT THAT ALL THINGS HAVE TO DIE IN ORDER FOR OTHER THINGS TO LIVE.
SO WE CHOSE THE PLANT MATERIAL AS STUMPS AS BEING TREE CORPSES.
MOST OF THE PLANT MATERIAL IN THIS GARDEN IS TALK TO -- IS TOXIC OR POISONOUS TO ONE EXTENT OR THE OTHER.
TED: THERE IS EVEN A HERMIT HUT.
IN THE EKING HUNDREDS, ENGLISH LAND ROVERS WOULD HIRE DRIFTERS TO LIVE IN THE HUTS AND ACT MELANCHOLY.
THE GARDEN OF DISCOMFORT IS CURRENTLY OPEN.
TED: I THINK WE ARE AT IT -- MATT: I THINK WE ARE AT A TIME WHERE THERE ARE SOME OUT OF WORK ACTORS WHO MIGHT ENJOY A STINT IN THE COUNTRY.
SHAYNA THE ORNAMENTAL HERMIT CRAZE WAS SHORT-LIVED WITH THE LANDED GENTRY IN ENGLAND, BUT IT LEFT A LASTING LEGACY.
THOSE POPULAR GARDEN GNOME ARE DIRECT DESCENDENTS OF THE LIVING HERMITS.
YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED SOME BROWNING ON THE TOPIARY AT BLACK BARN FARM, THE RESULT OF THE BRUTAL WINTER LAST YEAR.
MATT LARKIN SAYS IT WAS NOT THE COLD BUT THE WILD SWINGS IN TEMPERATURE WERE TOO MUCH FOR THE SHRUBS’ NATURAL DEFENSES.
NEXT, THE HOMEOWNERS KEPT GETTING A NO F