ROBERT PERLESS | kinetic, abstract sculpture in metal
ROBERT PERLESS | BIOGRAPHY
Robert Perless was born Brooklyn, New York in 1938, and grew up across the street from the water, which would have a profound influence on his life and his art. He studied Art and Engineering at the University of Miami in Florida.
His wind-driven sculptures began in the early 1970s after he and his wife took a two-year sabbatical, sailing their boat from the Canadian maritime provinces down through the Caribbean. In 1978 he began the construction of their sprawling, light-filled Greenwich, CT residence, a huge aluminum, steel and glass structure to which his state-of-the-art studio is attached.
A union of art, science, and engineering, Perless’ kinetic sculptures reveal and transform energy from the natural world. Perless acknowledges the influence of Constructivism on his work and is also often associated with the Kinetic art movement. He is best known for strikingly grand and graceful large-scale sculptures made from industrial materials.
He has created public artworks for municipalities, post-secondary educational institutions as well as private sector commissioned art installations for numerous corporations.
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
| 2017 | deCordova Museum, Lincoln, MA |
| 2015 | Public Sculpture, White Plains, NY |
| 2012 | Sculptors Guild, Saks Fifth Avenue, New York |
| 2008 | “In-Site” Governor’s Island, NY |
| 2006 | “Robert Perless: Public Visions” One-Man Show, Flinn Gallery, Greenwich, CT |
| 2006 | “Sculpture in the Park,” White Plains, NY |
| 2004 | Art Omi International Arts Center, Omi, New York |
| 2003 | Sculpture Now, Stockbridge, MA |
| 2001 | “Space 2001” Bruce Museum, Greenwich, CT |
| 2000 | “12X12X12” Greenwich Art Society |
| 1997 | Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield, CT (Also 1994, 1987, 1978.) |
| 1996 | Andre Emmerich’s Top Gallant Farm Sculpture Garden, Quaker Hill, NY (from 1991) |
| 1995 | “Environmental Sculptures” Kukje Gallery, Seoul, Korea |
| 1992 | Paris-New York-Kent Gallery, Kent, CT |
| 1989 | “Connecticut Biennial” Bruce Museum, Greenwich, CT |
| 1980 | Taft Museum, Cincinnati, OH |
| 1976 | Bonino Gallery, One-Man Show, New York |
| 1975 | Forum Gallery, New York |
| 1972 | Bernard Danenberg Gallery, One-Man Show, New York |
| 1970 | “Light, Motion, & Sound,” Hudson River Museum, Yonkers, NY |
| 1970 | “Eclectra ‘70” Pepsico, New York |
| 1970 | Whitney Museum, New York |
| 1969 | Galerie Simonne Stern, One-Man Show, New Orleans |
| 1968 | Bodley Gallery, One-Man Show, New York |
CORPORATE COMMISSIONS
| Avon Corporation, New York |
| Boone County National Bank, Columbia, MO |
| Bristol-Myers Squibb, New Brunswick, NJ |
| Pierre Cardin, Paris |
| Coates Building, 555 Madison Avenue, New York |
| Dart Industries, Los Angeles |
| Deloitte & Touche, Wilton, CT |
| Eastern Airlines, Boston, MA |
| First Federal Savings & Loan, Fort Meyers, Florida |
| Fuji Film Building, Elmsford, New York |
| Guggenheim International |
| Lake Forest Mall, Gaithersburg, MD |
| Mobil Oil, Fairfax, VA |
| National Chemsearch, Irving, TX |
| One Exchange Plaza, New York |
| Ottawa Silica Company, Public Park, Ottawa, IL |
| Space Center Tysons, Tysons Corners, VA |
| Stamford Town Center, Stamford, CT |
| Xerox International Center, Washington, D.C. |
PUBLIC INSTALLATIONS
| Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York |
| Bucknell University, Weis Center for the Performing Arts, Lewisburgh, PA |
| City of Corpus Christi, TX |
| City of Palm Desert, Civic Center, Palm Desert, CA |
| City of Stamford, K.T. Murphy Media Center, Stamford, CT |
| City of Syracuse, Syracuse Hancock International Airport, Syracuse, NY |
| Howell Cheney Technical High School, Manchester, CT |
| University of Connecticut, Castleman Engineering Building, Storrs, CT |
| Miami University, Oxford, OH |
| Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL |
| Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, N.Y.U. Medical Center |
| Town of Port Chester, Public Park, Port Chester, NY |
| University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA |
| Salt Lake City Community College, Salt Lake City |
| Utah Valley State College, Wasatch Campus, Heber City, UT |
MUSEUM COLLECTIONS
| Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York |
| Bucknell University, Weis Center for the Performing Arts, Lewisburgh, PA |
| City of Corpus Christi, TX |
| City of Palm Desert, Civic Center, Palm Desert, CA |
| City of Stamford, K.T. Murphy Media Center, Stamford, CT |
| City of Syracuse, Syracuse Hancock International Airport, Syracuse, NY |
| Howell Cheney Technical High School, Manchester, CT |
| University of Connecticut, Castleman Engineering Building, Storrs, CT |
| Miami University, Oxford, OH |
| Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL |
| Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, N.Y.U. Medical Center |
| Town of Port Chester, Public Park, Port Chester, NY |
| University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA |
| Salt Lake City Community College, Salt Lake City |
| Utah Valley State College, Wasatch Campus, Heber City, UT |
EDUCATION
| Cheshire Academy |
| University of Miami, Miami, FL |