Two Shows for the Price of One at Julian Schnabel's Opening

Last night I went to my first big gallery opening out here in LA. It was superstar artist Julian Schnabel’s show at the Gagosian gallery, featuring a series of 10-12 giant digital prints based on X-rays he found in abandoned house in France after he wrapped “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” ( which is nominated for four Oscars this weekend)

I’ve been to openings in the past months, but more the Silverlake variety where it’s a storefront that’s doubling as a gallery and it’s filled with hipsters who have a seemingly nonchalant but actually very calculated bohemian look. I know because I used to be one and sometimes still play one. Collectively in a gathering though, they lose all sense of individualism and just look like a bunch of out of work American Apparel employees.

But I digress.

There were some hipsters at this event, but they were outnumbered by older film director types, aging Beverly Hills money types, rich young socialites in haute couture, sharply dressed celebs, and the requisite papparazi. The man himself, Mr. Schnabel was also in attendance along with all his kids and his attractive Spanish wife. (pics posted are from said night)

I’ll get to the guestlist and name-dropping in a minute, but first the work.

I was meeting my friends Ti, Ilka, and Bill. I was told to get there early (like before it officially started) just to make sure I could get in. I’m glad I did. I wasn’t the first but I was able to view the work with an unimpeded view of the space, which is important for these giant stark prints. Once the room filled later, you couldn’t see the bottom third of the work which didn’t matter anyway since I was too busy ogling famous people or people who looked famous.

Some of the pieces in the show, which averaged 15’ by 10’, were graphically beautiful. Each were blown up details of old x-rays that Schnabel had selected and been impressed with. Aesthetically, a few of them in the upstairs room I found very beautiful as abstract prints on their own, in a wabi-sabi sort of way. Beautiful monochromatic tones of muddy brown, yellow, and green formed by the various densities of bone, flesh and light.

Thematically though, it felt a bit of a letdown. It had shades of a super successful, rich artist who had a passing novel idea and quickly based a show on it. I didn’t get the sense that a passionate development of ideas, nor blood sweat and tears went into it, as you would feel from a less established artist. But then with Schnabel, a man who excels at the art of self-promotion, the level of labor is irrelevant. I guess it’s all supposed to fall in line with his film’s theme, which is about exploring the internal life of a paraplegic man who can no longer express external signs of life. The literal images of X-rays I guess serve as a sort of signifier as to what we really all share in the end.

Ok now the celebs.

The main gallery filled up to capacity and most of the fabulous arrived after seven (it was a 6-8 opening). They were usually announced by a sudden flurry of photoflashes at the front door. Schnabel himself, circulating around the gallery, was easy to locate by the density of photogs surrounding him.

Some of the industry-type people that showed up were James Franco, Michael York, Lawrence Bender (producer for all of Tarantino’s movies.) Steve Tisch (producer and owner of the Giants), Nicky Hilton, Cuba Gooding Jr., Mr. Chow and family (restaurateur to the stars), director Bruce Ratner (Rush Hour ), and oscar-nominated Tilda Swinton (who looked like a stunning alien and was the best dressed)

One of the more interesting sightings for me was directors Werner Herzog and John Waters in conversation.

My friend , Ilka, said "It's quite a show".

I replied, "Which one? The one on the walls or the one on the floor?"

She laughed, saying she actually meant the schmoozing on the floor.

For the past year my friend and editor Terence Ziegler has been telling me I should meet Matthew Modine because he edited both our films and says Matthew is a great guy. So when Matthew showed up at the opening I went up to him and introduced myself as Terence’s friend. He instantly warmed to me and began to chat. As we spoke there was a tall woman standing next to him, listening and smiling. Feeling a little rude I introduced myself to her. She then said a few things to Matthew and wandered off.

Matthew turned to me and said, “That woman came up to me a few minutes ago and said ‘Hi, it’s great to see you again!’ and began to talk to me. I have no idea who she is. I don’t ever remember meeting her”

I said “Well, you know, maybe she saw you at the Loew’s 84^th st. Cineplex up on the screen.”

Matthew laughed, “Maybe.”

We chatted a couple minutes more before we were abruptly interrupted by another woman who he politely greeted. I stood there a minute before telling him I know he’s got a lot of people who “are happy to see him again” and left him to his adoring fans.

Later Matthew came across our group again and joked around with me and my friends for a bit. He said he had met the legend Werner Herzog but was a bit put off by him.

When he tried to give Werner a compliment on his doc “Grizzly Man”, Werner replied tersely “That was THREE films ago!”

Matthew’s wife, Cary was a pretty warm and lively woman, too. Refreshingly they both come off as stimulating and grounded people. A great couple and inspiring that they've been married for 28 years in an industry rampant with non-commitment.

I also ran into an old friend, Mark Taylor, who I hadn’t seen since he was production co-ordinator on “Three Seasons” ten years ago back in Vietnam. He hadn’t aged at all. Now Mark is head of production at TBS.

And that’s why I came out here. For the big schmooze.