Back in the day before bedrooms became hubs of artistry. Before others thought of the idea to have galleries. In the East Village of NY, the Lurie brothers were already at the top of the mantle. Identical twins Craig and Scot Lurie along with brothers Evan and Bruce moved from their beginnings in Soho District to New York’s East Village. Although successful at other businesses, the four of them went back into what they loved most, the business of art. As one can imagine living in New York it exposed them to art at an incredibly young age. Lurie and his brother were actors. His younger brother did a lot of stunt work growing up and Lurie spending half of his life in Europe wasn’t all bad either. He lived in Germany for a long time and worked with the Mercedes Benz corporation. One brother lived in Switzerland and became a part of the watch business, but no matter they all saw that art was the key to their livelihood and as insane as it was, the key to their sanity. Collecting artwork since college the Lurie brothers found their true calling. The gallery saw the likes of Jean Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Andy Warhol and a host of other line of start-up artist of the times. Jean Michel Basquiat popped his head up while living from the inside of a box and saw the streets and sidewalks of NY as his best palette. An original artist Basquiat expressed himself in any way that he could using scrap materials, odds and ends from junk yards, street clutter, spray paint, and anything else that he could get his hands on. His parents both doctors were non-supportive of his artistry which drove him as did Keith Haring and Andy Warhol, to name a few into the vanguard galleries of that time. Lurie was one such gallery. The Lurie offered the latest musical sounds of the 80’s which seemed to come blasting all the way from the line of galleries to the streets and of course the special organic hang out with some cool ass people. Everything that was fun, hip, cool and the latest happenings made its way to the East Village. It was only a matter of time that people would come into the Lurie to check out exhibiting emerging artist. With the recent spread of the deadly virus Covid-19’s crippling effect creating a worldwide epidemic 15Minutes sat down with Bruce Lurie owner who recently relocated to the beautiful area of Pacific Palisades here in Los Angeles County. Covid has caused such a shift in creative consciousness Lurie said, he moved the gallery from its Culver City location to Pacific Palisades into a spot where, as he put it, “I can live, work and play”. With just the right amount of ocean breeze the weather is great for keeping a suitable temperature in managing artwork. It also offers a calm and serene habitat for artists to come and show their work. Economically with 99% of all business online the fine art industry is challenged in different ways as are others however, because of Lurie’s long-standing history in New York city’s art world, Los Angeles, Miami and its global presence fans and pop star artist are loyal and still stand. Lurie doesn’t follow trends. He sets them.
There is a saying that goes, if a man is powerful there is always a beautiful, brilliant, strong, and grounded woman somewhere in the mix. Such is the case with Lan Guan, Lurie Gallery Artistic Director. Being an artistic director during Covid-19 can’t be easy however Guan takes on challenge with grace, beauty and a keen eye for opportunity. Partnering with popular online art managers and promoters like Artsy. Lan’s goal is to keep creative hives infected with the works of emerging and popular mid-career artists. Given her sensitivity to the artistic style of each artist who have their own sense of expression it’s no wonder the Lurie Gallery and the Lurie brothers are so well respected and influential in their field. Like a proud father to some. Big brother and uncle to others Lurie gives each artist taken within the house of Lurie his undivided attention and sound advice as if they were his very own children. “If unity is to be served to the people, it should be served from the tables of the artists who live amongst them”.
Lurie has known Jaime Gil an exhibiting artist at the gallery since his days in Miami. After moving the gallery to LA Lurie contacted the mixed-medium artist who takes acrylics, stencils and encaustic wax and creates sequences of numerical, alphabetic and words and phrases to speak to fans from his canvas.
Jaime is a great guy. Professional and easy to work with. Lurie noted his lack of holding only one piece of Jean Michel’s art and wishing he had held onto more. Because of this henceforth he has saved at least one piece of each artist that has come through the Lurie Gallery.
Other artist like Monica Perez, Plastic Jesus, Nick Veasey, Nelson De La Nuez and Scarlet Mann had their starts at the Lurie. There are so many unbelievably creative artists this article would not do all of them justice but what does do justice is having an artist connoisseur like Bruce Lurie have your back. Then you can say you are off to a great start. Bruce Lurie, the Lurie Gallery and the Lurie Brothers didn’t just play the game. They invented it. Like Al Pacino in Scarface said, “You wanna play rough. “You wanna play games. Say hello to my little friend” and so all that we can say is, when you mess with the Lurie’s, you’re messing with experience.
“If unity is to be served to the people, it should be served from the tables of the artists who live amongst them”. Quote by Osiris Munir.
Bruce Lurie Gallery
310-876-1780
Los Angeles, CA / Boca Raton FL
INFO.LURIEGALLERY@GMAIL.COM
LURIEGALLERY.COM
@BRUCELURIEGALLERY
