Harlan
Emil Gruber (b. Jan. 14, 1959, NY) has combined his interest in science
and art to shape a respected design career. A student of Physics at Emory
University and of Electrical Engineering at University of Miami and Georgia
Tech, Harlan Emil subsequently received a degree in the field of Environmental
Design from Parson School of Design, New York (1985). Immediately following
the completion of his studies, Mr. Gruber joined the design firm SITE
Projects of New York before launching his independent career in 1987.
He has become highly regarded for his sculpture, furniture design, interior
retail design, and for his continuing study of designs for future habitats.
Harlan Emil's work has been published internationally, including Interni
of Italy, Pronto of Japan, The Face of U.K., and Progressive Architecture
in the United States, and is featured in the book New York: Nomadic Design.
His work has been exhibited at New York's prestigious gallery Art et Industrie,
Knoll Furniture Showroom, The Clodagh Center for American Design, Hokin-Kaufman
Gallery of Chicago, Hampton Square Gallery of Westhampton Beach, NY, All
Points, Shipley and Fenix
galleries in Taos, New Mexico and the Donkey
Gallery in Albuquerque, NM.
(917) 208 8053
Harlan
Emil was the founder of Pluto Dog, Inc. (1988-1993), which produced his
designs including the Saturn Table Series, the
Levity Series, and the Cyberunit.
He designed the first three retail stores for the clothing company 555
Soul (1991-1996) and the bar Openair (2001), both in New York. His artistic
endeavors include the ongoing series of sculpture installations titled
Bundles, a sound sculpture project titled Quasar
Wave Transducer, a series of kinetic sculpture works titled A/FX
Spirals, and a multimedia installation inspired by his personal interests
in drag racing and spiritual teachings called The
Circle of Burning Fuel.
In 1996 Harlan Emil moved to Taos, New Mexico, while still returning part
time to his home in New York City. He has been attending the Burning Man
festival in Nevada since 1999 and has created a series of bicycles for
it called Playacycles. He has also created
large scale sculptures for it: the Mutant
Vehicle Labyrinth in 2003, the 11:11
Diamond Portal in 2004-5, the 12:12
Emerald Portal in 2006 and the 1:11
Sapphire Portal in 2007. He has become deeply committed to the vision
of Burning Man, as it combines his interests in art, design and future
habitation.