History
La Luz de Jesus Gallery came to be in 1986 in Los Angeles, California as the brainchild of entrepreneur and art collector Billy Shire. Shire is considered hugely responsible for fostering a new school of art in Los Angeles prompting JUXTAPOZ Magazine to dub him "the Peggy Guggenheim of Lowbrow."
La Luz de Jesus showcases mostly paintings, from figurative to the very abstract, as well as unusual sculpture. The exhibitions are considered post-pop; the art content ranges from folk to outsider to religious to sexually deviant. The gallery's main objective is to bring underground artists and counter culture to the masses.
Some of the past shows have been quite groundbreaking, introducing unknown artists who go on to become great names in the modern art world. La Luz de Jesus helped start out artists such as Manual Ocampo and Joe Coleman, and hosted Robert Williams' art exhibits before he became a household name.
The gallery shows a different exhibit every month, with an opening reception that Details Magazine calls "the biggest and best party in Los Angeles."
