257 Building a Gallery from the Ground Up: Materiality, Mentorship, and Making Space with Rhett Baruch

 

In this episode of the podcast, host Javier Proenza is joined by Rhett Baruch, founder of the contemporary art space Rhett Baruch Gallery, for a candid conversation that moves fluidly between car culture and curatorial strategy—touching on everything from VTEC engines and flat-plane V8s to the architecture of gallery identity in Los Angeles.

Baruch discusses his unconventional journey from car enthusiast to gallerist, tracing how a passion for craftsmanship, aesthetics, and the tactile qualities of objects evolved into a sharp curatorial practice. With no formal background in the art world, Baruch speaks to the DIY spirit that shaped the gallery’s beginnings—from styling vintage design vignettes in his historic Little Bangladesh apartment to leveraging Instagram to cultivate a following of interior designers who would become his first collectors.

Throughout the conversation, Baruch emphasizes materiality, intention, and relationships over trend-chasing or institutional pedigree. His eye for precision, born of a background in automotive performance and design, guides Rhett Baruch Gallery’s focus on high-quality, often hand-built contemporary works—from the sculptural paintings of Cole Seager and Christopher Ríos to the minimalist interventions of Satoshi Okada.

Informed by an understated spirituality and a quiet resistance to conventional art world hierarchies, Baruch’s practice speaks to a broader shift in the collector landscape—one where emerging buyers are invited into the fold through aesthetics, storytelling, and trust.

This episode offers an illuminating look at how one of LA’s most distinct young galleries is redefining what a contemporary art space can be: refined but accessible, rooted in design yet committed to fine art, and always evolving.

Highlights include:

• How Rhett Baruch transitioned from automotive culture to the contemporary art world

• The role of interior designers in seeding a new generation of art collectors

• Rhett Baruch Gallery’s focus on material quality and process-based practices

• Thoughts on the art world’s relationship to faith, aesthetics, and the "white cube" model

• Building credibility without an MFA or institutional affiliation

• Gallery branding, voice, and strategy—from vignettes to vernacular

Featured Artists Mentioned: Jonathan Todryk, Cole Seager, Christopher Ríos, Edward, Linda Keeler, Satoshi Okada, Laura Walberg

Rhett Baruch Gallery Website: www.rhettbaruch.com Instagram: @rhett.baruch.gallery

Listen to the episode on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Patreon (early access)

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