MANILA, Philippines ? Painters making films about other painters tend to raise suspicions.

When Basquiat was released in 1996, Schnabel was harshly judged by fellow artists. The critical response was mixed; very few understood his vision.

Then came ?Before Night Falls,? a film on the life of gay Cuban poet and novelist Reinaldo Arenas. It explored Arenas? personal struggle against a closed, homophobic society; his longing for affirmation and validation of his talent, and on a deeper level his literary ambitions which conflicted with Cuba?s political system. Ironically, it was this stifling political climate that fed him so many lustrous ideas.

The screenplay, and particularly, Arenas? own writings, played an important role when Schnabel was pursuing his cinematic aspirations. The layered screenplay, juxtaposed with Arenas? poetry, was the jumping point for the textured and visually stunning images in the film.

The telling of the story came not only from the spoken word but also from each scene, carefully composed to tell a deeper narrative. However, only after I had watched Schnabels? next film did I begin to feel as if I understood his mind.

Well-crafted

?The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,? based on the memoir of Jean-Dominique Bauby, was released in 2007. The directorial challenge was how to tell the story from Bauby?s restricted point of view, since, following a massive stroke, he suffered from a rare medical condition known as locked-in syndrome.

With the exception of his brain, his entire body was paralyzed, only allowing his left eyelid to serve as a means of communication?a visual Morse code, in effect. The actor playing the lead role needed to possess a large reservoir of emotions to succeed in the daunting task of portraying a totally immobile character.

This film earned Schnabel the Best Director award at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.

After so many years, I now understand why Schnabel makes films; not indulgent short films, but well-crafted, feature-length films where the narrative is key to the visual rendering.

In the accompanying catalogue of Schnabel?s Philippine-premiere print-and-painting exhibition in Manila (?Julian Schnable Prints 1983-1998? at the Manila Contemporary, Whitespace, 2314 Chino Roces Ave., Makati; tel. 8447328), David Moos writes: ?For Schnabel, painting began with language, with a need to assert a distinct visual voice. An early work such as ?Tower of Babel (For A.A.),? announces in its title the quest for articulation, the search for coherence.?

Breaking the rules

In some way, whether painting or making films, Schnabel works like a graphic designer. Initially, he relies on the text, interprets it, then applies his vision and personal preference.

At some point, he breaks the rules and even violates his own works. So it would appear that his main motive in creating is not necessary to ?paint? but to articulate ideas, form and textures.

His films are character-driven, therefore the plot is determined by what his characters are capable of doing. The same with his canvases.

The eight large-scale paintings on view at the National Museum (?Julian Schnabel, Recent Works? at the National Museum of the Philippines, East Wing Gallery, 4/F, Museum of the Filipino People, Agrifina Circle, Rizal Park., Manila; tel. 5271215) possess a cinematic feel, as if each canvas were being projected.

When viewed up close, his large-scale and untitled series of ink on polyester has the pixelated feel of an LCD screen. However, viewing them from afar is similar to looking at a diaphanous underwater shot, rendered in black and white, warm gray and sepia.
Also included in the National Museum?s exhibit are multi-layered, polyester canvases, pre-printed with Indian gods and Chinese maidens.

Again, Schnabel?s mind can be seen working on a given theme by visually controlling the elements; applying spray paint, resin and impasto strokes over the soft edge preprinted images.

In one painting, it seems he could not resist including the letters B, E and Z. Is this some secret code, the meaning of which only those close to him? or maybe just he himself?understands?

Accessible

A more intimate and accessible Schnabel can be found at the Manila Contemporary, a well-appointed art space on Pasong Tamo Extension in Makati. Though consisting mostly of prints and artist?s proof multiples, Schnabel?s power over the medium is not diminished.

Notable is ?Brenda,? a yin-and-yang diptych of rich-toned aquatint printed on sumptuous brown-and-white velvet.

Other examples are zebra prints on gradient-magenta background; repurposed maps as paper stock for serigraphs; re-articulated Italian reproductions as a collage element honoring the Italian actress Anna Magnani?all of which, by using ordinary objects, infused with strong gestured strokes, show how lucid and fluent is Schnabel?s visual language.

The Julian Schnabel exhibit in Manila is organized by the National Museum of the Philippines, with Cora Alvina as its director and John Silva its curatorial consultant, along with the Manila Contemporary, through Valentine Willie, a long-standing friend of Philippine art, whose untiring efforts in promoting Philippine art in Southeast Asia has generated a dynamic market movement and ?brand? recognition within the region.

Together with Willie is Mary Dinaburg and Howard Rutkowski of the Fortune Cookie Project based in Singapore. Their aim is to create a platform from which artists can foster exchange, and also to bring to the Philippines the works of international contemporary artists, such as Schnabel.

The Julian Schnabel exhibit at the Manila Contemporary runs until July 5, while the National Museum exhibit runs until July 30.