The Art Curator by Geraldine Zialcita
The interpretation of art embodies the essence of its work, intention, and message. Art whispers an undefined story, transports through time, and delivers an impactful message.
While most boys played with toy cars and soldiers, Thomas Luzuriaga, who was born in Bacolod City, Philippines, grew up in a home filled with art collections. The family dinner table conversations discussed art, the artists, and its origin. “Since my dad is an art collector, he taught me every single detail about art. At a very young age, I learned to appreciate beauty for what it’s truly worth. I gradually understood the value of what a painting meant,” he shares.
Since the family’s art business involved traveling around the world, Thomas shared the same excitement as his parents in searching for the next treasure. Aside from their love for art, the Luzuriaga family shared a strong fondness for food. “Travel has indeed broadened my horizons. Each place we visit offers a distinct culture and taste. For our family, travel equates to the integration of art and food. I learned to explore my taste buds and satisfy my palates by being adventurous with food.” He smiles.
Known for their huge portions and family-style dining, one of their favorite cuisines is Italian food. The Luzuriaga family always savored using fresh herbs and vegetables, concocting food from scratch, and drizzled with pure virgin olive oil. On one fateful occasion, Thomas’ father casually mentioned to an Italian friend about opening an Italian restaurant, and shortly after, Italia restaurant was born. Italia has been operating for more than twenty years now. The restaurant is known for The Godfather’s Pizza, Truffle Pasta, Lengua Champignon, Saltimboca all Romana Panna Cotta, Tiramisu, and many more hearty dishes to indulge in.
Little did they know that the restaurant would serve to be the gateway for artists. A friend of Thomas’ dad happened to be a talented artist but lacked exposure. Since his art career wasn’t flourishing as he hoped, Thomas’ dad suggested they hold a solo exhibit at Italia. “With minimal planning, that first exhibit acquired success and that’s when my dad merged his gallery―Charlie’s Art Gallery with Italia restaurant. Our first show gave birth to almost 100 exhibitions in the restaurant,” he informs.
To date, Charlie’s Art Gallery has showcased various local artists who have gained publicity with their platform. The gallery has enabled various local and national level artists to be viewed and appreciated by the Negrense market. “My parents’ goal was to showcase the best of Philippine art to the doorstep of the Negrense community so they don’t have to fly to Manila to admire fine artwork,” he conveys. Relishing exquisite food with fine wine and being surrounded by immaculate artwork sets the right tone and paints an unforgettable story. “We are an unorthodox gallery that features artists from all over the country. We’ve had works from budding artists who are now renowned. We hold exhibits three to five times a year,” he adds.
At 25 years old, Thomas looks back and acknowledges the foundation his parents built to shape his career and life. Knowing how much he shares the same interests as his parents, Thomas foresaw how art and food played a fundamental role in his life. “I started co-hosting exhibits with my mom when I was 13 years old and sold my first painting at 15 years old. It felt so surreal and that moment motivated me to be more involved in the art world,” he relays.
Thomas embraced his passion and felt important when older people would ask for information about the art pieces. “I always remembered the exciting stories my dad would share with me as a child when he acquired a new painting. His knowledge and experience with art equipped me to provide the artist’s background and history to clients. It became secondary to me,” he states.
In 2013, the Luzuriaga family established a second gallery in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Philippines. Galeria Lienzo features the artwork of many sought-after artists like Michael Cacnio and Ramon Orlina, all the way up to revered masters like Ang Kiu
Kok, Mauro Malang Santos, and Fernando Amorsolo. They cater to private collectors and investors.
Pushing the envelope, Thomas is the designated art curator for both galleries and the manager of Galeria Leinzo. Aside from meeting with clients and educating new buyers about the mechanics of these priceless possessions, Thomas works behind the scenes to ship paintings locally and across the globe. He helps his family choose which artwork to display in the galleries. He manages the distribution of catalogs, assists his mom in organizing exhibits, and coordinates with appraisers to determine pricing points.
Spending most of his life in the art world, Thomas enjoys meeting with art collectors and businessmen. “My world resembles a fusion of creativity and investment. I’ve learned a lot about dealing with artsy clients and professional businessmen. The artsy clients embrace the essence of the art and why it’s special, while the businessmen focus on price, value, and growth. Balancing these traits has enabled me to use a personalized approach for all my clients. My line of work equates to cultivating relationships with my clients,” he explains.
After all these years of being immersed in art, Thomas has learned that there’s more that lies beneath what’s hung on a wall or displayed in a living room. “Some people think buying a car is a good investment when the value actually goes down the minute it leaves the driveway. Real estate requires property taxes and at times, takes longer to appreciate vs. a painting. Artwork is one of the greatest investments that can go a long way. One way to approach an investment strategy after conducting your due diligence and consulting with expertise to purchase a painting and sell it after two to five years when the market price has increased. You can buy your condo or car after you receive your return of investment from selling a painting. I’ve witnessed first-hand how a piece of artwork can appreciate,” he advises.
When he’s not speaking the language of art, Thomas enjoys spending time on the firing range. As a competitive shooter, Thomas works hard and plays hard. He also keeps a healthy work/life balance by traveling with his wife and child.
As he forges ahead in his career, Thomas hopes to hold 4-6 exhibits a year in Charlie’s Art Gallery and continue to have private viewings at Galeria Lienzo. “Great artists make great investments. It has been my strong passion to learn about them and share the value with people who also love and appreciate art,” he concludes.
From the baseline, Thomas paved the way to curate his life with passion, encompassing the elements of art and food to depict beauty, value, and impact. Thomas Luzuriaga curates art to define its purpose.