With an edgy and modern design that perfectly captures the vision of the owner, photographer Bo Bridges’ new gallery in downtown Manhattan Beach is slated for a grand opening in mid- to late-September.
This art gallery will be the second for the photographer, who recently closed down his first one in Hermosa Beach, his place of residence for 10 years, after a five-year run.
“There was definitely a long pursuit for this location,” confessed Bridges, 38.
However, the past five months have been quite busy for Bridges and his team. The 1,400-square foot space has gone through extensive renovations to include custom-built designs, such as a rusted sliding door that opens into a private viewing room and a refurbished barn wood wall from Utah that showcases the limited edition pieces.
A lot of the architectural designs were created with an intimate experience between the observer and art pieces in mind.
In the backroom of the gallery, pictures of famous athletes and celebrities easily cover two walls of the office; David Beckham, Derek Jeter, Shaun White, Serena Williams, Gerard Butler and Paul Walker are among the countess notable faces on display.
Yet the hectic schedule has been nothing new for the freelance photographer.
Since Bridges went independent in June of 1996, he has built a world-renowned reputation for himself.
With a specialty in commercial advertisement photography and over 15 years of experience shooting for the ESPN X-Games, Bridges has turned his passion into a burgeoning career.
“I honestly love shooting lifestyle athletes, but landscape is more of my passion,” Bridges said.
It would only make sense then to have landscapes from all around the world be the main feature of the gallery; Tahiti, Spain, the Bahamas, Indonesia, Hawaii and Fiji are a few of the locations Bridges traveled to in order to snap the beautiful photographs now available for purchase.
The art gallery offers more than just pieces for sale, however.
“We also offer custom home and office installations,” said Bridges. “A lot of the houses here are really close to each other so we create designs that allow our customers to be transported to another place when they look out their window or at a former white wall.”
As for events, Bridges says he’s open to using his gallery to host private venue parties.
The space recently hosted hundreds for an ESPN event, including a DJ on the outside staircase, valet parking services and security with bouncers to help the event function smoothly.
Over the next couple of years, customers can also expect an expansion of four to five more Bo Bridges’ Galleries to open, he said.
“Vail, Colorado is definitely a place I have in mind for my next gallery,” Bridges said.
The new gallery is already open to the public, but a grand opening celebration will be revealed at BoBridgesGallery.com in the weeks to come. The gallery is located at 1108 Manhattan Ave., Manhattan Beach, 90266. 310-937-3764.
