The Spontaneous Stance: Karel Appel and the Changing Role of Drawing in Post-war Modern Art
Mireille Cornelis | The Spontaneous Stance: Karel Appel and the Changing Role of Drawing in Post-war Modern Art | Utrecht University, Department of History and Art History | Promotor: prof. dr. E.M. Troelenberg (UU); copromotor: dr. J.P. ten Berge (VU) | 1 April 2021 – 31 March 2025 | m.e.cornelis1[at]uu.nl
This project proposes case studies that will systematically analyse the drawn oeuvre of Karel Appel and the role of the medium in his artistic development. As a leading thread the research will concentrate on the notion of spontaneity and its role in Appel’s creative process, in which drawing played a pivotal role. Connected with this is Appel’s changing perception of drawing, which will be compared to that of other artists of his generation. On a metalevel, this research project aims to contribute to our understanding of spontaneity in the creative process and intertwined with that, the role and appreciation of drawing in Post-war Modern Art.
Image: Karel Appel, Nude Series no.23, 1986, The Albertina Museum, Vienna (© KAREL APPEL FOUNDATION, c/o Pictoright)