Biography

American painter/filmmaker. Born in NYC. In 1973, earned his BFA at the University of Houston. In 1979, gained attention for his “Plate Paintings,” which were first shown at his solo exhibition held at Mary Boone Gallery in NYC. In this series, shards of broken ceramic dishes were glued to large panels. He has continued to pursue a variety of materials for the grounds of his paintings, over which he has adopted ideas sourced from paintings of the past, and images from his personal and daily life. He has also been active as a filmmaker and writer, with a 1996 biographical feature on Basquiat being his first film. “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” (2007) won the 60th Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Director, and the 65th Golden Globe Award for Best Director.