Object number2002.17a&b

Renovation 4

Date2002

Artist Kevin Appel (American, 1967-)

CultureAmerican

MediumAcrylic on canvas over panel

Dimensions80 x 168 in. (203.2 x 426.72 cm)

Credit LinePurchase, Steven Neu, class of 1994, Fund

On View

Not on view

Period21st c

Classification(s)

Painting

Vassar Exhibitions

XL: Large-Scale Paintings from the Permanent Collection

Exhibition HistoryProject Gallery: Young collectors' gifts to the collection, Fall 2007; Poughkeepsie, NY, FLLAC, Vassar College, "XL: Large-scale Paintings from the Permanent Collection,"
Jan 30 - March 29, 2015

Label TextSince the mid-1990s, Kevin Appel has explored architecture’s environmental, social, and psychological impact in his largescale paintings. Drawing inspiration from his hometown of Los Angeles and the work of modernist architects like Rudolf Schindler and Richard Neutra, Appel depicts real and imagined structures with exquisite geometric precision. In "Renovation 4," a semi-abstracted dwelling emerges through sharply delineated stripes, flat planes, and faint wood grain. Trees appear among these ghostly forms, suggesting both what is displaced during construction and the materials used in building. Appel’s muted palette of whites and grays allows structure and nature to blend seamlessly, merging indoor and outdoor spaces as modernist architects intended. The composition mirrors the cool geometry and open-plan configurations that have long fascinated the artist.

DescriptionObject is two separate panels together

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email loebcollections@vassar.edu