Julian Schnabel
Abstract Painting on Blue Velvet, 1980
Velvet on velvet with welded steel frame
83 x 89 inches (210.8 x 226.1 x 7.6 cm)
© Julian Schnabel Studio; Photo by Tom Powel Imaging; Courtesy the artist and Vito Schnabel Gallery
Since I first arrived to New York City in the fall of 1985, in search of an artistic and bohemian existence, Julian Schnabel has been a figure with epic stature, always in the news, then as today. I remember at least three occasions at dinner parties where the consensus surrounding Schnabel’s artistic production and legacy as a painter or filmmaker divided the guests into heated debates. Whether those who have followed his evolution agree or not, one thing all acknowledge is the stamina and fearlessness Schnabel himself possesses. He has in every direction created work that paves the way for others. What extent does it take to comprehend the complexity of human nature, let alone to be an artistic individual?