Julian Schnabel

Julian Schnabel
Schnabel at the 2010 Hamptons International Film Festival
Born	(1951-10-26) October 26, 1951 (age 65) Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Education	University of Houston
Known for	Painting, film
Style	"Plate paintings"
Movement	Neo-expressionism
Spouse(s)	Jacqueline Beaurang (divorced); 3 children Olatz López Garmendia (divorced); 2 children
Website	http://www.julianschnabel.com

Julian Schnabel (born October 26, 1951) is an American painter and filmmaker. In the 1980s, Schnabel received international media attention for his "plate paintings"—large-scale paintings set on broken ceramic plates.

Schnabel directed Before Night Falls, which became Javier Bardem's breakthrough Academy Award-nominated role, and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, which was nominated for four Academy Awards.

He has won the award for best director at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, a Golden Globe, as well as BAFTA, a César Award, two nominations for the Golden Lion and an Academy Award nomination.

Born in Brooklyn, New York to Esta (née Greenberg) and Jack Schnabel, He moved with his family to Brownsville, Texas, when still young.

It was in Brownsville that he spent most of his formative years and where he took up surfing and resolved to be an artist.

He received his B.F.A. at the University of Houston. After graduating, he sent an application to the Independent Study Program (ISP) at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. His application included slides of his work sandwiched between two pieces of bread. He was admitted into the program.

Schnabel worked as a short-order cook and frequented Max's Kansas City, a restaurant-nightclub, while he worked on his art. In 1975, Schnabel had his first solo museum exhibition at the Contemporary Arts Museum in Houston. Over the years, Schnabel traveled frequently to Europe, where he was enormously impressed by the work of Antoni Gaudi, Cy Twombly and Joseph Beuys.