Schnabel seems like a ghost from the past, from the booming, prancing
1980s. Strange then that he should have crashed through at the Edinburgh
Festival. But it’s a quieter Schnabel, seemingly without the broken
dishes, on show this year. The paintings here at Inverleith House
do not extend any Schnabel legend, instead they deny it. What are
the rows of black surfboards about? Merchandising it seems, embellished
with the hint of dramatic prowess. This has been a somewhat worrying
show in terms of the National Gallery of Modern Art. What kind of
contra-deal – and who goes to Texas in exchange?
(Julian Schnabel, Inverleith House, Edinburgh until 26 October
2003)
