Joseph Abbati is an artist from San Francisco. His artwork is figurative and looks at the human condition through a queer lens. Joseph Abbati’s work addresses concerns over visibility and body-positive celebration in the queer community. Abbati’s paintings focus on queer pleasure, gaze, and desire. He is interested in the ways that social standards (on social media especially) pressure queer men themselves to fit into heteronormative expectations. His works act as an archive of the censored, but they are also just plain fun in their approach. His titles and imagery deal up witty puns and visual jokes through which we can see how much Abbati reveals in humor and levity – mobilizing them as clever tools to be thrown in the face of oppressive (and likely more boring) forces.
In life, and in social media in particular, queer men often need to censor themselves to fit into heteronormative norms. This self-censorship may bring shame to queer men when they cannot express who they are. The paintings celebrate the expression of their sexual and gender identities. When queer people have the opportunity to share their lives it allows them to live without shame and think positively about themselves.
Joseph’s work has recently been seen with a solo exhibit at Schlomer Haus Gallery (March 3 – April 29, 2023). His work has also been in group exhibits at the SFWA Gallery, Radian Gallery, Soft Times Gallery, Moth Belly Gallery, and 2358 MRKT Gallery.
Joseph has also been curating for the office of Senator Scott Wiener since 2017. He produces several exhibit a year featuring San Francisco Bay Area artists. The subjects of the exhibits include housing, night life, LGBTQ Pride, global climate, Asian artists, Trans representation, and Lantinx artists.