Julian Schnabel has been exploring ways of painting for the last five decades. From his initial wax paintings and plate paintings to his most recent works, he has contributed to shaping the ever-open vocabulary of mark-making. Always on a search for new forms of art, he invites us to engage with the intensity of looking—at both art and the entire world. 

This book features a rare selection of his important, most-loved works, chosen in dialogue with his friend and fellow-traveler Donatien Grau. It presents a retrospective of Julian Schnabel in nine key works spanning some fifty years of painting. Each work is presented with details and accompanied by a text by Donatien Grau highlighting central aspects of his oeuvre.

Julian Schnabel (b. 1951, New York) established himself as a leading artist in the American art world beginning in the late 1970s. He broke with the prevailing trend of Minimalism and restored painting’s emotional power and expressiveness. He also became known for the unconventional surfaces of his paintings, such as plates, textiles, or cardboard. His works are often influenced by religious and Mexican iconography. In addition to his highly acclaimed career as a painter, he also achieved worldwide success as a film director.