The Karel Appel Foundation

AMSTERDAM, January 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Karel Appel became an internationally renowned artist at a very early point in his career. Born in Amsterdam in 1921 Appel was one of the most important Dutch expressionist painters during the second half of the twentieth century. In 1948 he became a member of the Cobra group, a movement founded by various artist living in Copenhagen, Brussels and Amsterdam, among whom the painter Asger Jorn.

In 1954 Appel received the UNESCO-price at the Venice Biennale. International museum directors and art dealers recognized his work. At this time Appel worked mainly at his New York studio. In 1960 Karel Appel received the International Award of the Guggenheim Foundation. As a citizen of the world and self-proclaimed 'man without a country', he now lived and worked in New York, Paris and Molesmes, France. In the 1990's Appel had painting studios in New York, Connecticut, Monaco and Tuscany. The studio in New York was used by Appel to experiment and add new impulses into his work. Appel also elaborated on these new ideas in his studios in Tuscany and Conneticut. Because of the different light in Italy and the United States paintings with the same theme have got a very different character and feel to it.

This year various exhibitions of Karel Appel's work are on view in Europe. Twelve monumental nude drawings will be presented at the Albertina Museum in Vienna until February 10th 2008. This unique chance to see these works on display has been made possible by a generous donation. The Cobra Museum in Amstelveen will present Karel Appel's work in Jazz from February 9 until June 1st, 2008. Twenty large size paintings will be shown while music is being played. Appel was a big fan of swinging jazz.

The largest size painting Appel probably ever painted is titled La Folie des Rues. He made this work in l' atelier de l'Opera de Paris in 1989 and measured 14 by 4 meters. Appel was very attached to the work but finally found a buyer in 1997; the University of Amsterdam. In that same time Appel painted Manque de Communication (330 x 700 cm) which is now the biggest painting of Appel available on the art market today at Gallery Delaive, TEFAF 2008, stand 482. Karel Appel died in Zurich on May 3rd 2006.

The Karel Appel Foundation launched its website for the public this week. Every question any art dealer, collector or museum might have regarding the authenticity of a work of the artist can now contact the absolute authority, the foundation of the artist, directly. The oeuvre catalogue of Karel Appel is in preparation.

For more information:

http://www.delaive.com/index.php?page=press

http://www.gallerydelaive.com

http://www.cobra-museum.nl

http://www.albertina.at

http://www.tefaf.com

http://www.karelappel.org