Critically Acclaimed Artist Robert Kipniss Featured in Major Exhibition Hosted by Park West Gallery CEO Albert Scaglione

SOUTHFIELD, MI, January 01, 2011 (Press-News.org) Park West Gallery, now in its 42nd year as a leading fine art dealer, recently curated a landmark retrospective highlighting historically significant works by famed American artist Robert Kipniss. The collection was unveiled aboard Norwegian Epic during an art collector's cruise hosted by Park West Gallery and its CEO and founder Albert Scaglione. The December 4-11, 2010 voyage was Kipniss' inaugural cruise and a rare opportunity for collectors to interact with the artist.

The retrospective was presented to nearly one hundred Park West Gallery VIP collectors aboard Norwegian Epic, the largest and most innovative Freestyle Cruising ship. The Park West Gallery Kipniss collection featured unique paintings, rare drawings and graphic works, including drypoints, intaglios and mezzotints. Many of the works were newly released from the Park West Gallery archives; several paintings were previously shown in an exhibition at the New Orleans Museum of Art.

The enchanting works of Robert Kipniss captivate viewers from all walks of life and at all levels of artistic sophistication. The artist once said: "I may be painting trees and houses, but when I look at them, that's not what I see. I see an atmosphere, a moment, a quickly passing experience that I'm trying to capture. My art is an art of intensity, of delving, of exploring the soul." Revered by many as an "artist's artist," Kipniss communicates his soul through the remarkable craftsmanship he applies to his work.

"We were thrilled to have Robert Kipniss, an artist with such extraordinary credentials and extensive museum representation throughout the world, join us at this special Park West Gallery event," said Albert Scaglione, CEO and founder of Park West Gallery. "It was such a joy for our clients to be able to spend time with the artist and hear him speak about his exceptional body of work. We know this experience is one which our collectors will cherish for a lifetime," Albert Scaglione added.

Robert Kipniss has received numerous awards, including the National Academy of Design in New York City's Ralphi Fabri Prize in 1976; the Charles M. Lea Prize from the Print Club of Philadelphia in 1978; the Society of American Graphic Artists Printmaking Award in 1979; the Audubon Artists of New York City's Silver Medal in 1980 and Medal of Honour in 1983; a Certificate of Merit from the National Academy of Design in New York City in 1997; and the Boston Printmakers' Rembrandt Graphics Award in 1999.

Various books have been published about the artist, such as Robert Kipniss: Intaglios, 1982-2004 by Trudie A. Grace and Thomas Piche, Jr. (Manchester, VT: Hudson Hills Press, 2004); Seen in Solitude: Robert Kipniss Prints From the James F. White Collection by Daniel Piersol (New Orleans, LA: New Orleans Museum of Art, 2005); and Robert Kipniss: Paintings 1950-2005 by Richard J. Boyle (Manchester, VT: Hudson Hills Press, 2007).

Museums all over the world exhibit the work of Robert Kipniss in their permanent collections, including the Whitney Museum of Art and Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City; the Chicago Art Institute; the Philadelphia Museum of Art; the Detroit Institute of Arts; the National Collection of Fine Arts, Smithsonian Institute, in Washington, D.C.; the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Texas; the British Museum in London, England; the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston; and the New Orleans Museum of Art. His exhibit, "Seen in Solitude: Robert Kipniss Prints from the James F. White Collection," was slated to open in January 2006 at the New Orleans Museum of Art, but the museum's doors closed temporarily due to the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina. When the museum reopened in March 2006, the revamped Kipniss show was the inaugural exhibit.

About Park West Gallery
Since its founding in 1969 by Albert Scaglione, Park West Gallery has brought fine artworks to more than 1.2 million clients around the world through its gallery locations in Michigan and Florida as well as art auctions on cruise ships and in major metropolitan areas. Park West Gallery's mission is to create an educational, entertaining, and welcoming environment that ignites a passion for the arts and creates a collecting experience like no other company in the world. Park West Gallery supports a myriad of artistic talent, engages the widest array of audiences, and advocates genuine artistry while maintaining only the highest of professional standards. To inquire about purchasing artwork from the Park West Gallery Fine Art Collection, please visit http://sales.parkwestgallery.com or call toll-free (800) 521-9654 ext. 4.

For media inquiries only, please contact media@parkwestgallery.com.