Dana Schutz creates masterful, expressionistic paintings in her Brooklyn-based studio and is considered by many to be one of the greatest figurative painters working in the United States today. In this 2022 interview, filmed in preparation for a major solo exhibition of her work, we learn more about her approach and get a fascinating view into her studio and her artistic process.
I wanted to be painting subjects that did not exist or could not be painted from observation or photographed…to make something that felt like it had some kind of consequence.
Dana Schutz
Dana Schutz b. 1976
Born in Livonia, Michigan in 1976, artist Dana Schutz is known for her sometimes surreal paintings composed within the context of invented or recast narratives. She studied at the Cleveland Art Institute and earned her master's degree from Columbia University in 2002. Schutz first gained attention with her debut exhibition, Frank from Observation, in which she introduced a fictitious character, "Frank," representing the last painter. Her subjects have since ranged from imaginary births and deaths to people who can eat themselves.
Schutz's work, characterized by complex visual storytelling and vivid color palettes, has been exhibited in museums and galleries internationally. In New York City, collections including the Museum of Modern Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum feature her paintings. Schutz has been creating monotypes and etchings since 2012, with her series Strangers recently acquired by the Cleveland Museum of Art.
In 2023, Schutz's solo exhibition, The Island, was presented by the George Economou Collection in Athens. A major retrospective, The Visible World, was showcased at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark and the Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris. Schutz's career has seen numerous solo exhibitions and group shows at prestigious institutions like the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver and the Venice Biennale.
One of Schutz's most controversial works, Open Casket, depicts the body of Emmett Till, igniting debates about cultural appropriation and the ethics of representation. While some critics have praised the painting for its powerful portrayal, others protested its inclusion in the 2017 Whitney Biennial, arguing that a white artist should not profit from Black suffering. The controversy led Schutz to withdraw the painting from circulation. Nevertheless, her work continues to receive general critical acclaim and be widely exhibited. Schutz's paintings ask viewers to engage with challenging narratives and reimagine reality through art.
