Title of Artwork: “Resurrection. Albert Finney Meets Malcolm Lowry”
Artwork by Julian Schnabel
Year Created 1984
Summary of Resurrection. Albert Finney Meets Malcolm Lowry
The 1984 John Huston film adaptation of Malcolm Lowry’s novel Under the Volcano served as an inspiration for Resurrection: Albert Finney Meets Malcolm Lowry. The British consul in Quanhnahuac, Mexico, on the eve of Da de Muertos, played by Albert Finney, drank heavily throughout the film (the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead).
All About Resurrection. Albert Finney Meets Malcolm Lowry
Titles like Pool Painting (1975) for Norma Desmond, Untitled (2008, Brando), and Last Diary Entry (For Roman Polanski) show how often Schnabel tied his paintings to the realm of filmmaking (2010).
Painting by Schnabel represents the Roman Catholic figure of Christ as a child, El Nino de Atocha, which is well known to Mexicans. The halo, pilgrim’s mantle, and staff of El Nino de Atocha were painted by the artist. Schnabel painted a primitive landscape in the background, giving the impression that a man is floating in midair.
For example, several of the artist’s paintings show a strong preference for Mexican-inspired Catholic iconography. In Brownsville, Texas, Schnabel and his family relocated after Schnabel was just 13 years old.
As a result of his early exposure to Mexican culture, as an adult he frequently visited the country. In Resurrection: Albert Finney Meets Malcolm Lowry, Schnabel’s knowledge of Mexican culture and folk art can be seen. Retablo, a tiny devotional artwork that serves as a votive gift, and milagros, a religious folk charm used for votive offering or healing reasons, are two examples of Mexican folk art that he references.
It’s possible that Schnabel was drawn to religious images because he was trying to convey spirituality and mysticism. A contemporary spiritual image was created in Resurrection: Albert Finney Meets Malcolm Lowry through the use of Mexican folk art components.
In Painting for Malik Joyeux and Bernardo Bertolucci (V), he depicts fictional encounters between characters who would never meet in real life, such as Malcolm Lowry and Albert Finney and Malik Joyeux and Bernardo Bertolucci (2006).
Despite the prevalence of Catholic iconography in Schnabel’s work, the artist explored a wide range of theological ideas; Fakires (1993) alludes to Sufi mysticism, while Untitled (Shiva) (2007) is one of numerous works honouring the Hindu god Shiva.
Schnabel’s Resurrection: Albert Finney Meets Malcolm Lowry is a modern interpretation of a traditional religious subject. As with Pablo Picasso and Jackson Pollock, the face and splatter technique call to mind Dan Christensen’s abstract works, while the spray-painted lines echo those artists as well. Schnabel’s painting on purple velvet was another example of his ongoing exploration of non-traditional mediums.
Incorporating traditional subject matter with modernist style and uncommon materials shows the artist’s ability to think outside of the box. Albert Finney’s cinematic performance and Lowry’s literary invention are both honoured in this picture by the artist. Schnabel’s visual depiction of Under the Volcano is a continuation of the interplay across multiple media.
Information Citations
En.wikipedia.org, https://en.wikipedia.org/.
