The Multitalented Mr. Schnabel

Morley Safer Profiles Julian Schnabel, A Titan Of The Film And Art World

(CBS)  Schnabel, 57, was born in Brooklyn. He remembers as a kid drawing underneath the kitchen table. "My brother and sister were a lot older. So I was alone a lot when I was a kid. And it always seemed that I was able to draw. So I was an artist since I was a child. I mean, I never really was gonna be anything else," he says.

When he was 10 or so, his mother took him to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where he saw the first painting that knocked him out, and it was not some Avant-garde abstraction. "The painting by Rembrandt of Aristotle contemplating the bust of Homer," he remembers. "It was a big deal to me. There was like, a glow coming out of that picture."

And the movies thrilled him too, one film in particular directed by Cecil B. DeMille, the king of pop spectacle. "Well, I liked when the Red Sea split open in 'The Ten Commandments.' That was a spectacular moment," Schnabel says.

DeMille’s over-the-top biblical epic taught the kid in the cheap seats the paramount rule of show business, and maybe life: first you get their attention. "I mean, if there’s no conflict in a movie, you don’t have a movie," Schnabel says.

When Julian was 15, his father moved the family about as far away as you could get from New York, at least in cultural terms: Brownsville, Texas.

"When you think, 'What exactly made me?' Do you think more of Brooklyn or Brownsville?" Safer asks.

"Definitely Brownsville," Schnabel admits.

At 15, the kid from Brooklyn got a crash course in life as it is lived on the banks of the Rio Grande. He learned to surf - something he still does - off the reefs of the Gulf of Mexico. And he engaged in some reefer madness as well.

"We were living in the marijuana hub of the United States," Schnabel remembers.

Asked if he was a "doper" himself, Schnabel says, "A doper? You mean did I smoke marijuana or take LSD? Yes, I did. Was I in the drug trade? No."

After a lackluster college career in Texas, he worked his way back to New York, doing - in the late 70s and early 80s - what all struggling young artists did: he says he drove a cab and was a cook.

"I think you sold sunglasses or something like that," Safer remarks.

"Yeah," Schnabel says. "I think I stopped working as a cook when I got $6,000 for a painting."

The art scene, ever in the hunt for something new, and Julian, ever happy to oblige, was a marriage made, if not in heaven, then in downtown New York. In 1983, at 31 years old, he was the talk of the town. His plate paintings took the art world by storm.

"They hadn’t seen anything that looked like that before. And there was a feeding frenzy around that," he explains.

Plate painting is exactly what it sounds like: heaps of broken crockery glued to giant canvasses. For his materials he sought salvation at The Salvation Army thrift shop.

"They hired people that have disabilities sometimes. So there was a midget there. And he had the plates. And he couldn't, the box was so big, he couldn’t get his arms into it. So I said, 'Just drop them. I'm gonna break them anyway.' So he did," Schnabel remembers.

[dalokster70]

fsasdfsd

[bernie.mcginn]

interesting guy!

[benfrenchnyc]

Test.

[benfrenchnyc]

Test.

[bernie.mcginn]

definitely an interesting guy!

[grandma_king]

Julian Schnabel should have slugged you, you arrogant snob. I am so sick of you reporters trying to drum up controversy with mentally sick behavior (triangulation). You were his guest. You were very rude and arrogant, and so narrow-minded that you only know your own agenda. I sure hope people can see your rudeness and quit watching as I have.
By the way, I love Andy Rooney, infact, that''s the only part of 60 minutes I like, but that''s not enough to keep me watching.

[banartist]

As an Artist who struggles daily with the grind of trying to be, I feel saddened by the lack of response by Mr. Safer and previous writers to address what I feel are his key comments. "I probably paint like a Jazz musician". "I"m Sort of leaning towards a divine light". Morley would have made this interview infinately more interesting and educational by asking him to expand on this, rather than pissing him off with worthless questions. If I myself could answer those questions verbally, I''d probably be a writer... or director. Crossing over to another discipline as seamlessly as he does is indicative of great talent. To quote George Santayana, "Expression depends on the union of two terms. One is furnished by the imagination, and a mind cannot furnish what it does not possess. Therefore, the expression of everything increases with the intelligence of the viewer".

[apadilla3]

One last thing and I''ll zip it. He is hiding his lack of talent behind his belligerence. He attacks those who criticize him to divert their attention to the fact that he has no ability.

[apadilla3]

Yeah, um, I don''t get it. Maybe I''m turned off by the fact that he replicated a painting someone else did that wasn''t good to begin with (that''s how it ended up in a thrift store), and this schmuck says "his" painting is worth a million. He sounded like an overgrown five year old crying because someone didn''t like him. Waa, waa, waa. Then he has the nerve to call his nemesis critic lazy. I find his artwork to be lazy and disrespectful to the world! Yeah, his take on directing, ". . . throw everyone in a hole and see if they can climb out." They climb out because they''re talented actors, no thanks to him.

[efactor2]

His movies are quite good, and his art is all in how you interpret it and that interpretation is a product of your backround. I personally know an artist who is struggling to pay the bills, but believes deeply in the value her artwork hasin this society and knows someday she will achieve success on her own terms and without selling her soul. Check out her website at maricelaalvarez.com You may not necessarily understand her work upon first view, but it will speak to you if you give it time.

[aka10003]

"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" is one of the most sensitive, original and artistically rewarding films I have ever seen; think what I will of his individual art pieces, they come from an artist with a true vision.

Morley Safer''s mention of Hughes'' negative criticism was a journalistic low-point considering that Schnabel has such an impressive track record by now.

How would Mr. Safer react if when himself interviewed, he is being asked to answer to scathing criticism by a reviewer who understands no English? That would be laughable. And what if it is not happening in the relatively straight-forward world of journalism, but in a field where visionaries often have to endure years of abuse by those who are practically blind to their work? Mr. Schnabel has a cause to be upset.

Unless Mr. Safer was specifically assigned to this article as a rep of the artistically-defensive population, 60 Minutes should really do better job matching in the future.

[lonecampwoma]

I met Julian in the late 70''s. I was a restaurant owner in a city in TX. I instantly recognized and was drawn to his Genius. He told me he was a cook and if I ever needed one to call him. I said,"Our chef just ran off to Austin and I need a cook tonight" Julian said O.K. Neither of us questioned that it would work beautifully and he cooked that night to raves from customers. Yes, I am "OLD"--64, but it''s too bad that there is no room for genius in this world anymore. I''m glad I was around to experience it. Julian is not just a genius but a true hero--he saved me! and his existence makes life richer on this planet for all of us. None of his success has surprised me. I expected it. I especially love the plate paintings (as a restaurant owner who heard many plates hit the floor over the years) and the movies are a gift to all of us.

[tuflgal]

I guess the saying ''Beauty is in the eye of the beholder''. For myself, I am stating my own opinion. I beheld nothing. I saw nothing amazing in his artwork. I am not familiar with his directing or writing ability.

How does he as an artist get to that level of fame?

If you want to see REAL art... photo realistic..done by hand..not airbrushed..or dumped/splashed on a wall or canvas.. take a look at www.melendezmurals.com

Here is a true and unknown artist with real talent, who struggles to get his work seen and known.

Pass the word on gang...let''s give REAL talent worthy of the title... ''Artist''.

Thanks!

[Nitraaaam]

Man, your paintings have no soul and that's probably why you're unknown.

[godseyesore-2009]

I have never been drawn to Schnabel''s paintings but his film work is another story. Diving Bell & Butterfly is now on my list of favorite films. Very impressive work.

[gianna2009-2009]

Morely Safer''s interview was off his usual performance. He didn''t seem at ease with Mr. Schnabel. People often criticize artists and art they don''t understand. The ego questions detracted from the interview. And for those who haven''t heard of Jullian Schanbel, well, he hasn''t heard of you either.

[chuck1522]

Your guest Schnabal reminds me of a paper weight I had in 1956. He throws paint on the wall and calls it art. I suspect Mr. Safer knows better. You can hire a chimp to do that "art" at 4 bananas an hour. (that is union scale.) Your program is too good to let Schnabal push this *** on you!

[davidcc472]

Mr. Safer,

Your interview with Julian was very fair, but going into the Robert Hughes hook was a little tacky. It made for great television but I bet you knew it would send him over the edge. I enjoyed this segment but it didn''t do Mr. Schnabel any good coming off as such an A*#&hole. The ending about ego was terrific. You go Morley!

This is what you get when a spoiled baby brat grows tall.

[lyle943]

Mr. Schnabel reminded me of many years ago when an "artist" presented some sort of *** to the public, and when one had the temerity to doubt his/her talent, we were told "You just don''t GET it!"
Mr. Schnabel has no talent, but apparently there are enough people who don''t want to be told that they just don''t get it, so they buy his garbage and hang it proudly, telling their guests, "You just don''t GET it! It cost me a fortune!". Schnabel = Schlock

[eudaly]

Mr. Schnabel was quite right to be appalled by Mr. Safer''s presenting Robert Hughes''s opinions of Schnabel''s art for comment. Hughes is to art criticism what Bill O''Reilly is to journalism.