Karel Appel

1921–2006

Christiaan Karel Appel (1921–2006) was a Dutch painter and sculptor known for his expressive approach to figurative abstraction. From 1940–1943, Appel studied at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam during the German occupation. In 1948, Appel co-founded the painting group CoBrA (named after the cities Copenhagen, Brussels, and Amsterdam). The group included artists Asger Jorn, Constant, Corneille, Lucebert, and John Atlan. CoBrA was formed to counter the rigid aesthetics of the de Stijl movement that focused on geometric abstraction and rationalism. Although influenced by the spontaneity of action painting, the group possessed a more figurative approach. Inspired by artists such as Paul Klee, Appel began to paint subjects reminiscent of folk art. His paintings are also characterized by a thick layering of pigment and dynamic brushwork. Although primarily known for his painting, Appel also experimented with sculpture and design.

In 1946, Appel had his first solo exhibition in Groningen. Appel joined Art Informel in 1952, a group of abstract artists which included Michel Tapié and Henri Michaux. In 1953, Appel was given a solo show at the Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels. Appel received the UNESCO Prize at the 1954 Venice Biennale.

Appel’s works can be found in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Art Institute of Chicago, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Appel began collaborating with American poet Allen Ginsberg in the 1980s, which continued over the next ten years.