404-879-1500
Mason Murer Fine Art was opened in May of 2004 by gallery owner Mark Mason Karelson and art collector Glenn Murer. The two businessmen had been developing a relationship over the years: Karelson owned The Modern Primitive Gallery in Atlanta’s Morningside neighborhood, and Murer, a developer and entrepreneur, was a frequent customer.
At Modern Primitive, the focus had long been on folk and outsider art, but the two men shared an interest in emerging artists. Karelson had begun showing more contemporary work, broadening the scope of his roster, and Murer was collecting the works of local talent. They frequently discussed launching a new gallery space that would allow for a wide range of discipline and content, from the commercial to the experimental, and the opportunity came when one of Glenn Murer’s large commercial properties became available. The 24,000 square foot space on Armour Drive was a bit off the beaten path, but it was convenient to the concentration of interior design businesses in the area, and large enough to accommodate several galleries, or possibly even a mix of exhibition spaces, artist studios, and food service. Karelson and Murer met with architect Amy Landesberg to discuss the possibilities.
