Berna brings Madison Avenue expertise to Grand Bohemian Gallery

When Michael Berna was 18 years old, he got introduced to a world that left him “spoiled and jaded” — and he never wanted to leave.

That world was New York’s Madison Avenue back in its golden era, when it was “the world avenue,” he said, noting that with what it had to offer,  you “could’ve been in Paris, London, Milan or Geneva.”

“It’s an unbelievable place to be,” Berna said. “I miss those days because I miss the old-world charm, when you could walk down the avenue and see these fabulous shops, people with extraordinary charm and beautiful things. These places just don’t exist anymore.”

But they marked him. 

His first introduction to Madison Avenue was through his high school girlfriend, whose father, Simon Lieberman, was a major art dealer and ran a gallery at the Hotel Carlyle.

“It was one of the most prestigious hotels in the world — a very old-world, extremely charming hotel,” Berna said. “After JFK used to stay there, it really put it on the map.”

And it put art on the map for Berna.

Lieberman introduced him “to a world beyond explanation,” Berna said. “I met characters from all walks of life.”

Over the next 35 years, he worked with fine antique jewelry, 20th-century design, decorative arts and lighting and sculpture. He worked in Lieberman’s gallery as well as galleries like Primavera and Leonard Trent.

And now Berna has brought that expertise to Mountain Brook’s own Grand Bohemian Gallery.

The gallery, a freestanding building next to the Grand Bohemian Hotel, is a “fabulous” space, said Berna, who serves as its new director.

“It has unbelievable light and lots of windows,” he said. “The space lights itself for someone like me to create something and make it look fabulous, and that’s what I did.”

Since arriving in April, he has implemented a more modernist, abstract appeal to the art and design, he said. He’s incorporated the work of renowned sculptor Ted Metz and painter Scott Vaughn Owen, both Alabama artists, and he’s displayed the “luminous artwork” of Birmingham artist Timothy Poe, who uses verre églomisé, a process of reverse glass gilding.

Berna has also displayed the “expressionist-colorist” paintings of internationally renowned French artist Jean Claude Roy and the contemporary work of Iranian artist Hessam Abrishami.

And that’s just the beginning. It’s an experience to visit the gallery, Berna said. “Come visit and see for yourself.”

Jorg Wesche, general manager at Grand Bohemian Hotel, said on behalf of The Kessler Collection of luxury resorts and hotels that they are “thrilled” to welcome Berna to the team and are excited about his contributions to the gallery.

“We are confident that his experience, skills and expertise, coupled with his passion and dedication, will allow him to take our gallery to the next level and make meaningful contributions within our company, community and the industry as a whole,” Wesche said.

For more information, follow the gallery on Instagram @grandbohemian.gbmb.