Studio International

Published 25/09/2003

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)