See Hugh Kappel’s Abstract Expressionism at Gallery 5004
Hugh Kappel is highlighted this month at Gallery 5004 in Robbinsdale.
“He was born in Berlin, Germany in 1910. And he was born to a fairly well-to-do Jewish family,” said Tim Bechtold, owner of Gallery 5004.
Kappel got a degree in philosophy in Germany before chasing his first love – art.
“From there he went in 1934 to Paris, France where a lot of people went to get a good art education because that was kind of the epicenter,” said Bechtold. “[Kappel] was actually showing in some very prestigious galleries at that time with the likes of Piccasso, and Chagall.”
Kappel got out of Europe before World War II and moved to New York City. There, he discovered abstract expressionism and embraced it.
Kappel later came to Minnesota, perhaps to seek financial security.
“He wanted a regular paycheck. So in 1958 he came to Minneapolis and took a job at what was called then the Minneapolis Campus School of Art. It’s now called MCAD, the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. And he taught there for the rest of his life and he passed away unexpectedly in 1982,” said Bechtold.
You can see Kappel’s works in acrylic, oil, watercolor and collage. All of Kappel’s works are also posted online.
Admission to Gallery 5004 is free.
