Top 10 Park West Gallery Moments of 2017
From exciting new artists to major gallery renovations, 2017 has held several major milestones for Park West Gallery! With 2018 around the corner, we’re taking a look back at some of our favorite moments from the past year.
We look forward to experiencing more moments like these with our collectors in 2018. Happy New Year!
1. Park West Sponsors DIA’s Monet Exhibition
Park West Gallery and the Detroit Institute of Arts have been longstanding fixtures in Michigan’s art community, but 2017 marked the first time the two joined forces.
“Rounded Flower Bed” and its unique display at the Detroit Institute of Arts
Park West Gallery and the Park West Foundation sponsored the DIA’s exhibition, “Monet: Framing Life,” highlighting the origins of Impressionism with 11 artworks by Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir.
The exhibition is on display until March 4, 2018.
Article: Stroll Through Monet’s Garden at the Detroit Institute of Arts
2. The Renovation of Park West Museum
Park West Gallery’s headquarters underwent major renovations this year, greatly expanding the scope of Park West Museum, the gallery’s free-to-the-public museum showcasing artwork from some of art history’s greatest figures.
Picasso gallery at Park West Museum
The bigger-than-ever museum now features artwork by Pablo Picasso, Rembrandt van Rijn, Marc Chagall, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and other masters. Park West Museum also houses artwork from museum exhibitions around the country featuring contemporary greats like Yaacov Agam and Peter Max.
Park West Museum is located within Park West Gallery’s headquarters in Southfield, Michigan.
Article: Park West Museum Features Yaacov Agam Exhibition
3. Yaacov Agam Museum of Art Opens in Israel
Renowned kinetic artist Yaacov Agam joined the elite group of artists who have an entire museum dedicated to their art.
The Yaacov Agam Museum of Art, located in Rishon LeZion, Israel, opened on October 26. The museum is publicly funded and supplemented by donations from the Park West Foundation and other contributors. Park West Gallery celebrated the opening with a special reception for its VIP clients and a tour of the museum by Agam himself.
Park West Gallery VIP clients enjoying lunch on the patio of the Yaacov Agam Museum of Art (Photo by Shooka Cohen)
“I can’t think of an artist who deserves this kind of recognition more than Agam,” said Albert Scaglione, Founder and CEO of Park West Gallery. “He has been so influential to generations of Israeli artists and his work needs to be experienced in person. This museum is the perfect showcase for his genius.”
Article: Israel’s Yaacov Agam Museum of Art Celebrates Its Opening with Park West Gallery
4. Auctioneer Saves Drowning Woman
Park West Auctioneer Jason Bartlett displayed an amazing feat of heroism in October when he saved the life of a drowning woman.
Jason Bartlett
While in Hawaii during a Carnival cruise, Bartlett saw a woman struggling in the water and didn’t hesitate to act. He dove in to save her from the rough waves. The crew of the cruise ship recognized Bartlett for his heroic actions with Carnival’s “I am Hero” award.
“When I saw the lady I made it personal, because that lady could be a mother, wife and daughter to someone, so I treated the situation like I would treat my family,” Bartlett said.
Article: Park West Auctioneer Honored for Rescuing Drowning Woman
5. Park West Gallery’s New Artists
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- “Midnight Rider” (2017), Matt Beyrer
Park West Gallery’s family of artists continued to grow with the addition of four talented artists:
- Gregory Arth – Arth takes ordinary circuit boards and other pieces of technology and transforms them into dynamic, textured artwork.
- Matt Beyrer – Inspired by nature, Beyrer incorporates the natural grain of wood panels into landscapes and still life compositions.
- Orlando Quevedo – As the leading proponent of “Magical Realism,” Quevedo blends architectural interiors with elements of illusion and antiquity in his surreal art.
- Alexandre Renoir – The great-grandson of artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Alexandre creates colorful landscapes and floral studies in an Impressionist style.
Park West collectors can’t get enough of these new artists. In fact, Beyrer had a run of eight sold-out consecutive VIP auctions, becoming the first artist to achieve this in Park West VIP history.
Article: New Park West Artists Break the Mold
6. The Creation of Caldographs
Park West Gallery artists constantly explore the latest methods in creating art. In 2017, a combination of ancient techniques and modern technology emerged—caldographs.
Artist Csaba Markus is the innovator of the medium, which uses dye sublimation to bond images onto wood at a molecular level. Other artists who have embraced the medium include David “Lebo” Le Batard, Tim Yanke, and Matt Beyrer.
Article: Park West Gallery Artist Csaba Markus Unveils Caldographs
7. Dominic Pangborn Honors Blessed Solanus Casey
The Solanus Casey Center selected artist Dominic Pangborn to create artwork in celebration of the beatification of Blessed Solanus Casey.
Workers install artwork by Dominic Pangborn at the Solanus Casey Center (Photo courtesy of Dominic Pangborn)
Following the beatification, Casey is one step closer to being declared a saint by the Catholic Church—that would make Casey the first-ever male Catholic saint from the United States. Pangborn created one of his trademark Art in Motion artworks featuring Casey to welcome the thousands of annual visitors to Detroit’s Solanus Casey Center.
Article: Artist Dominic Pangborn Honors Blessed Solanus Casey in Detroit
8. Peter Max Creates U.S. Open Art
Peter Max poses with both versions of his US Open theme art. (Photo courtesy of Ash Marshall / Twitter)
Pop artist Peter Max celebrated the U.S. Open in 1997 by painting the event’s official artwork featuring the Arthur Ashe Stadium. In 2017, the U.S. Open knew exactly who to turn to for the stadium’s 20th anniversary.
“We could not think of a better way to kick off the 20th anniversary of Arthur Ashe Stadium than by ‘returning to the source’ and having Peter Max create another signature work that truly captures the power of tennis’ grandest stadium,” Katrina Adams, USTA president and chairman of the board, said in a press release.
Article: Peter Max Unveils 2017 US Open Artwork
9. Collector Proposes During Art Auction
Robert proposing to his girlfriend, Rachel, during an art auction at sea.
Park West art auctions are full of beautiful and surprising moments, which is why Park West collector Robert saw it as the perfect romantic setting to propose to his girlfriend, Rachel.
During a cruise aboard the Carnival Pride, Robert worked with Auctioneer Jessica van Rooyen to plot an elaborate wedding proposal. When a veiled work of art appeared on stage, Robert bid on it and won.
The art team revealed the artwork was actually a sign that read “Rachel will you marry me?” and Robert knelt before Rachel to propose. (She said “Yes!”)
Article: Collectors Say ‘I Do’ During Park West Art Auction
10. Autumn de Forest Becomes One of Teen Vogue’s “21 Under 21”
Art prodigy Autumn de Forest has exhibited her art all over the world, won awards, and has even presented her art to Pope Francis, to name a few of her many accomplishments.
Autumn de Forest in Los Angeles for the 2017 Teen Vogue Summit (Photo courtesy of Relevant Communications)
It’s no wonder, then, that Teen Vogue selected the 16-year-old artist as one of its “21 Under 21,” a group of young women changing the world for the better through their actions.
This past year kept de Forest busy. She also appeared on Australia’s “Sunrise” television show and held solo exhibitions at the Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center in Tennessee and the LeRoy Neiman Art Center in Harlem.
Article: Art Prodigy Autumn de Forest Named in Teen Vogue’s ’21 Under 21’
