Hugh Kappel, born in Berlin, Germany in 1910 to a wealthy Jewish family, received an exceptional education and strong artistic training in his youth due to his family's affluence. His early artistic endeavors led him to Paris in 1934, where he studied under the Fauvist artist Othon Friesz, profoundly influencing his use of color throughout his career.

In 1935, Kappel exhibited at the prestigious Galerie Niveau in Paris alongside influential artists such as Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, and Paul Klee. Continuing his artistic journey, he studied at the Academic Ranson under Marcel Gromaire and exhibited regularly in Paris at venues like the Salon d'Automne, Galerie Carmine, and the Salon des Artistes Francais. His work, blending elements of Cubism and Fauvism, received acclaim, marking the maturation of his artistic style.

Fleeing the rise of Fascism in France, Kappel emigrated to New York City in 1937. There, he initially designed Broadway sets while studying at institutions like the New School for Social Research and the Traphagen School of Design. Influenced by the burgeoning Abstract Expressionist movement in New York, Kappel transitioned to a non-objective style of painting characterized by fluid, spontaneous brushstrokes reminiscent of expressionism. He developed a distinct, personal style diverging from traditional European aesthetics.

Kappel gained prominence as part of the landmark 9th Street Exhibition in 1951, alongside Abstract Expressionist masters such as Jackson Pollock, Helen Frankenthaler, Robert Motherwell, and Hans Hofmann. In 1958, Kappel moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he taught at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. He continued to exhibit his work at institutions such as the Minneapolis Institute of Art and the Walker Art Center.

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