Customer Reviews

CVJ: Nicknames of Maitre D's and Other Excerpts from Life

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As a young painter I value art books as my teachers, a removed version of the artist the book covers. Schnabel's book enhances (and probably created) the mythic figure he would become (including his Achilean fall) and offers great images of the works of art he created up until the book's publication. The photos of the work are excellent. The commentary is honest (and heavily colored by Schnabel) and story-like (written with a short "burst" style like a Chuck Pahlaniuk novel). It is nearly embarrassing (which is good). Schnabel is an undervalued painter and mind. This book is an excellent entry point into his thoughts, biography, and work. There are few decent Schnabel books out there and this is by far the best.

Though he's better known now as a filmmaker, Julian Schnabel was also one of the leading figures on the American Art Scene in the late '70s and '80s where, for better or worse, his gigantic canvases and infamous arrogance typified the last years of Warhol's New York. You either love the Schnabel of that period or you hate him. Luckily for me, I thought he was a genius and therefore I enjoyed his autobiography, Cvj. Covering his childhood in Texas, Cvj doesn't carry all of the insider gossip that a lot of readers will probably be looking for but it is a rare and fascinating glimpse into the development of one of the greatest artists of modern times.

if you have heard of Schnabel, the illustrations in this book will persuade you that it's best not to see his work. If you would like to read the autobiography of a mediocre painter and consummate poser, this book might be for you.