Malfi (Set of Three), 1998

Julian Schnabel is an American painter, artist, and filmmaker, who was born in Brooklyn, NY in October 1951. Julian Schnabel first gained notice as an artist via his first one-man show in 1979. He has had numerous subsequent solo exhibits all over the globe. In addition to his painting, Schnabel has also had much success in films, which he ventured into during the 1990s. The multi-talented artist is known as a"bad boy" of the art world. One of Julian Schnabel’s signatures is adding unusual elements (i.e. broken pottery) to his canvases. In fact, Schnabel received international recognition for his "plate paintings," which were large-scale paintings set on broken ceramic plates. The artist has played a pivotal role in the Neo-Expressionism movement and was part of a contingent of artists in the '80s, which included Jean-Michel Basquiat and David Salle, who endeavored to restore the art of painting to its pre-abstraction status. Their style stressed exuberance and expressivity in contrast to the pervasive intellectualism of Conceptualist and Minimalist art that was showcased at that time. They balanced the technical aspects with emotional resonance. As a Neo-Expressionist, Julian Schnabel reintroduced human emotion and sentiment to painting while banishing the idea of detachment as well as unconventional supports such as cardboard,black velvet, and weathered tarpaulins. In addition to painting, Julian Schnabel has also branched out into photography, music, and movies. Schnabel has garnered widespread critical acclaim as the director of films including Before Night Falls, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, as well as the co-writer and director of the 1996 film Basquiat, which was based on the life of fellow artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. (Artist website)