Julian Schnabel To Villagers: “Chupi Mi Verga”

First you paint that crazy new addition to your big West Village building a peculiar bright pink. The only thing left is to name it something cryptically pretentious:

“What’s a chalupa?” people once wondered, before a talking Chihuahua with a Mexican accent explained it all.

Now, along the streets of the Far West Village, a new question is echoing: “What’s a chupi?”

Whatever it means, it’s the name of Julian Schnabel’s new hot-pink high-rise nearing completion at 360 W. 11th St.

. . .

The Venetian retro-style residential building involved constructing an 11-story addition above an existing three-story former stable. A plain concrete slab that topped the old facade has been incorporated into the project and inscribed with “Palazzo Chupi” — “palazzo” meaning “palace” or “mansion” in Italian, and “chupi” meaning, well . . . it’s anyone’s guess.

Schnabel, a painter and award-winning filmmaker, did not reply to an e-mail request for explanation.

Kelly, who is involved on site in the construction of the 11th St. building, said he doesn’t know.

“I actually can’t tell you what it means,” he said “It’s just Palazzo Chupi. I don’t think it’s Italian.”

. . .

Assuming “chupi” isn’t Italian, there are some other possibilities.

It means “kisses” in Spanish — but “underpants” in Swahili. In Tagalog, it translates into “get lost.” And, in Peru’s indigenous Quechua language, chupi is potato soup.

In Hindi, it means “hidden.” “Chupi Chupi” is the title of a hugely popular Bollywood movie. Wait a second: Palazzo Chupi — Hidden Palace. That could work. But then why did Schnabel paint it hot pink? Some might say he could have picked a less conspicuous color for a hidden palace.