Couple opens bold new gallery in Buckhead!
There are so many places in the world where we could open a gallery,” says Laura Horowicz, co-owner with her husband, Philippe, of the Carousel Art Gallery, a contemporary gallery in Buckhead Village. “One of our main criteria is that we feel at home.”
With galleries in Miami and Saint-Tropez, the couple says Atlanta fit the bill as their third location and enticed them to move from Florida. For Laura, who still has family in Kentucky where she grew up, it is also a way of getting closer to her roots.
Eager to expand and impressed with Atlanta’s burgeoning art scene, the couple had their eyes on real estate here. The move happened quickly. They were finishing their exhibition season in Saint-Tropez in September 2023 when they learned of an open retail space in Buckhead Village.
Hands-on with the openings of their galleries, they shipped dozens of artworks from France to Miami that fall and had select pieces trucked to Atlanta. Once here, the duo unpacked crates, hung the art and furnished the space just in time for their opening in November before heading back to Context Art Miami, where they were exhibiting.
Carousel Fine Art features works by emerging and mid-career painters, sculptors and photographers. Laura says she and Philippe are passionate about artists who have a particularly bold, distinctive voice and technique. For instance, the gallery includes dazzling floral paintings by Eric Alfaro and playful, provocative works by painter Chance Cooper. Mid-career artists include Mr. Brainwash, known for his street art, and French pop-art sculptor Richard Orlinski.
In March, the gallery presented a solo exhibit of works by Philippe’s mother, Caroline Dechamby. Her pieces include oil and Plexiglass creations, and luxury handbags emblazoned with screen prints of her paintings.
Dechamby, who owns a Saint-Tropez gallery, was instrumental in Philippe’s moving to Tampa 15 years ago on a golf scholarship. It was a big change from the small village in Switzerland where he lived with his mother and sister. He went on to get a degree in marketing, but his good looks gave him entry into the world of fashion as a model.
He met Laura on a fashion shoot eight years ago. Soon they were married and traveling the world on modeling jobs before settling in France. They worked in Dechamby’s gallery then opened their own space in Saint-Tropez, followed by the Miami location in 2021.
When working with collectors, Laura says being a good listener is tantamount. “It helps to know where people vacation, what style of home they have and whether they want their art to be cohesive with that style. We love helping first-time collectors.”
Both Laura and Philippe pride themselves on their personalized service and do many of the installs themselves.
The couple lives at a Buckhead condo with their dog, Pepper, and plans on buying a home in Atlanta soon. But Philippe notes they spend most of their time in the gallery. “Our galleries become our homes; our team becomes our family, and our clients become our friends,” he says.
This month, they will host a solo show for Alfaro, followed in June with one for mixed media artist Cayla Birk. Later this year, they plan to exhibit at the inaugural Atlanta Art Fair Oct. 3-6, a celebration of local and regional art.
CAROUSEL FINE ART
404.963.776
nyc.carouselartgroup.com
@carouselfineart
STORY: Carol E. Ryerson
