Biography

 

Born in Chicago, I received a BFA in Painting from the University of Illinois in 1980 and moved to New York City that same year where I continue to live on the Upper West Side. Like generations of artists before me, I am drawn to the human form to personify classical ideals of beauty, balance and harmony. As a gay man and artist, I celebrate the human body with an unapologetic and clear queer sensibility. I also explore botanical imagery, abstract form and photography.

 

I was represented by the Amos Eno Gallery in NYC from 1989 to 1995, and the Cortland Jessup Gallery, Provincetown, MA from 1991 to 1997. Several of my penis paintings were included in the feminist exhibition “True Phallacy: the Myth of Male Power” at the Michael Clark Gallery in Washington, D.C. in 1994 resulting in images of my work being published in Penthouse magazine and the Italian publication, L’espresso. Several of my works are included in the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art collection, and one painting was featured in their 2009 exhibition and catalogue, “Treasures of Gay Art from the Leslie-Lohman Gay Art Foundation.”

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More recently, I participated in 2 group shows at the Blackbird Gallery in Chelsea, and at the pop-up exhibition “Uncensored: Queer Art” and “Works At Home” both in Brooklyn. I exhibited with the Art y Honey pop up galleries in the East Village, on the Upper West Side and in Crown Heights. I am a member of the DoableGuys art collective and participate in their Erotic Art Shows on Fire Island and at the SoHo Project Space. I also show and vend with dandyland.art, an NYC-based organization dedicated to queer art and events.

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I proudly contribute work annually to the Postcards from the Edge benefit for Visual AIDS.

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Instagram & Bluesky @josephakaminski

 

To support me and my art on Patreon, visit patreon.com/JosephAKaminski