Kunstmuseum Den Haag
January 16 – May 16, 2024
Karel Appel (1921-2006) is renowned for his vibrant colors, bold contours, and seemingly simple forms. While often associated with the 1950s and the CoBrA movement, Appel’s artistic journey extends far beyond these periods. Throughout his career, he continuously experimented and pushed boundaries, evolving his work even into his later years. His style and materials varied from early playful, childlike depictions to later sculptures combining painting with found objects. Appel’s collaborations with poets, musicians, and choreographers also marked his distinctive approach.
In Jan Vrijman’s 1961 documentary, Appel is portrayed as a wild, instinctive painter, seemingly battling the canvas with sweat and growls. This image, combined with his famous remark “I just mess around,” was taken too literally and stirred controversy in the Netherlands. Despite his seemingly spontaneous technique, Appel’s work was deliberate and meticulous. He carefully selected his tools and paints, made preliminary sketches, and drew inspiration from art history, studying masters like Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Picasso, and Mondrian. His paintings were, in fact, well-thought-out compositions.
Appel’s move to Paris in 1950 marked the start of significant recognition. He received prestigious awards, participated in Biennales, and earned esteemed commissions. Despite his international acclaim, his relationship with the Netherlands remained complex. The elite often dismissed him, while the public admired his spontaneity and unpretentiousness. A small segment of the Dutch art world appreciated and promoted his work, which now features in numerous prominent international collections.
In 2016, ten years after Appel’s death, the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag (now Kunstmuseum Den Haag) presents a grand retrospective of his diverse oeuvre, spanning over six decades with the support of the Karel Appel Foundation. The exhibition includes 67 paintings, 12 sculptures, and more than 60 drawings, highlighting his early interest in Outsider Art, his stylistic experiments, and his unique interpretations of classical themes such as nudes, portraits, landscapes, and cityscapes.
The Gemeentemuseum Den Haag has a longstanding relationship with Appel, having hosted major exhibitions and received significant donations from the artist in 1983 and 2002. This retrospective underscores their special bond and is part of a broader international rediscovery of Appel’s work, with exhibitions also held in cities like Paris, Munich, and Washington.
The exhibition will be on view from January 16 – May 16, 2024
