House of La Cruz
A fine arts retailer and exclusive online gallery of carefully selected pieces and performances
LA-based fine arts photographer and filmmaker Alex La Cruz found the perfect way to sell his mesmerizing, oftentimes eerie, large-format architectural and landscape photographs: On a sharply curated website, among other artists he respects. In founding House of La Cruz, he has created an online gallery showcasing only a small collection from artists he believes in. From painters and photographers to a jewelry-maker and a performance artist, La Cruz’s site goes beyond the works typically found on white gallery walls for a more modern approach to selling art.
“The people on the website were really brought together by word of mouth,” La Cruz tells CH. “It started with a close circle of friends and people that have come to me through my career, but in doing residencies and art fairs, others became involved. Those are the artists on the website,” he says. It is La Cruz’s personal touch that unifies all selections and makes it a site favored by artists and enthusiasts alike.
While the site recently opened to the public, “the project had been on my mind for a few years,” its founder explains. “I’m lucky to have friends that are very good artists and creators. My inspiration is my friends and the artists that I know. It’s allowed me to put a good group together.” Among the featured artists, painter Maria Kozak stands out for her magnificent renderings of birds in chaotic flight. The large oil paintings almost seek to interpret the term “animal kingdom” literally, as the birds grapple for status and stature amidst conflict. They are dark and foreboding, but undeniably beautiful. It’s not your traditional animal artwork.
“We’re also selling performance art,” La Cruz mentioned. “The artist’s name is Katya Grokhovsky. She also does water colors and paintings, but she sells pieces of performance art to private clients in the New York area.” A blend of mixed media, dance and video unite within her experiential work, available only for commissions. La Cruz met Grokhovsky in upstate New York while they were both doing a residency. It’s that spirit—of one artist meeting another and collaborating on a retail space (digital or otherwise) that meets their needs, fueling House of La Cruz. With the precise vision only a photographer can hone, La Cruz selected and unified creators and now they’re available for the world to consume.
All of the artists’ works are available for purchase at House of La Cruz online.
Images courtesy of House of La Cruz
