Author: Joseph Abbati

I was honored on August 15, 2019 by Senator Scott Wiener with a resolution and recognition of my work in the arts on the Senate floor at the California State Capitol.

Foghorn Leghorn was a Looney Tunes character I had an affection for as a child.  He was the “cock,”  the alpha-male of the roost.  I didn’t understand then how his character was such an influence to my attraction to the male persona.  These are some recent studies I’ve done for work expanding my experience with pop culture and its effect on myself.

“Dum Vivimus, Vivamus! (While we live, let us live!),” 2019, acrylic on canvas, 2ft. X 4ft.

“Angelus Reprobi (Fallen Angel)” is an allegory to all those people in the LGBTQ community who have been disowned for being who they are.

“Angelus Reprobi (Fallen Angel),” 2019, acrylic on canvas, 6ft. X 8ft.

Three of mine “Linemen” series of paintings will be in the group exhibit, “Make Your Mark,” at Art Attack SF opening June 6th 6-9pm.

Joseph Abbati, “Linemen Triptych 3″, 2018, acrylic on canvas, 30″ X 32”

“QueerEyes” is this year’s Pride art exhibit I’ve curated for Senator Scott Wiener’s office.  The exhibit will feature 32 LGBTQ artists from the San Francisco Bay Area.  The artwork includes painting, photography, video, drawing, digital, and mixed media. An opening reception will be held on Sunday, June 30 from 12-3pm. ( 455 Golden Gate Ave., Suite 14800, State of California Building, San Francisco).  The exhibit will be available to view throughout June and July 2019, Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm.

The opening reception to this free exhibit requires an RSVP to enter the State of California Building.   RSVP at https://queereyes.eventbrite.com

The artists participating include Andrew Ogus, Cassie Castrejon, Martin Hsu, Judy Joy Jones, Gareth Gooch, Matt Pipes, Eden Gallanter, Austin Robert Boe, Karl Fjelstrom, SNJV, Oscar Gallegos, Joseph Abbati, Joset Medina, Gordon E Silveria, Ashish Kumar, Genevieve Pflueger, John Skinner, Anthony O’Donnell, Danyol Leon, Alex Prestia, Brea Weinreb, Jessalyn Ragus, Chris Robledo, Skylar Appleman, Michael Mcnamara, Kevin Lewis, Xiang Gao, Devlin Shand, William Salit, Yousef & Maryam Kazerooni, and Jordan Joel Pennock.

“East on West” opened March 1, 2019 at the office of Senator Scott Wiener in the State of California Building.  It showcased twenty-six San Francisco Bay Area artists who identify themselves as part of the Asian diaspora.  The artwork displayed at “East on West” reflected how artists of Asian origin from the Far East, Southeast Asia, South Asia, or the Pacific Islands contribute to enrich the arts and cultural diversity on the West coast.  The exhibit closes after April 26, 2019.

The artists included Martin Hsu, Anita Yan Wong, Junjun Li, Cindy Jian, Stella Zhang, Yao-pi Hsu, Cuong Ta, Nga Trinh, Cynthia e Tom, Salma Arastu, Rachel Maryam Smith, Xunzhi Sun, Usha Shukla, Kay Kang, Sophia Lee, He Yuanming, Jamie Cristal Joaquin, Athena Kim, Xiang Gao, Phillip Hua, Tsungwei Moo, Di Meng, Alice Wu, Anoushka Mirchandani, Olivia Ting, Kenshi Westover, and Cathy Lu.

– Joseph Abbati, Curator

New additions to my “Artspeak” series.

“Artspeak” is about the observation of art manifested by the art jargon or tropes that try to define art for ourselves.  The descriptions in these paintings are culled from art reviews, PR releases, and biographies.  They have become so ubiquitous to the art world, that they lose meaning and represent a kind of hyperbole that can be applied to any artwork.

By placing these “artspeak” descriptions on top of the painting, it forces the viewer to engage with these narratives and question if they are meant to describe the painting in the background.  The viewer is seduced into making the same narrative for themselves unless they realize it’s all bullocks.

This is the price of entry for some in the art world.  The coded language which tries to elevate the meaning and value of what is being observed.