Celebrated Photographer John Arsenault Presents His Captivating
and Confessional Self Portrait Series
Filthy Gorgeous
at Renowned New York Gallery ClampArt

“On the surface, Arsenault’s colorful, often humorous work seems casual, carefree. But it’s almost as if that sheen is a test. If we look past it, we see much more.” -Frontiers Magazine

(New York, NY) John Arsenault, known for building witty, whimsical and incisive photographic bridges between the usually antagonistic realities of urban and suburban life—such as the 2006 exhibit, Kathy’s Beauty Nook, a series of photographs taken at his aunt’s Massachusetts beauty parlor—is revealing his vibrant, emotionally baring, and steamy collection of self portraits—Filthy Gorgeous—at Chelsea’s famed ClampArt.

“I wanted to produce a visual monologue about my life,” says Arsenault, whose work in Filthy Gorgeous spans ten years and reflects the way he has come to integrate Americana and the family plots of his Massachusetts upbringing with the gay relationships and cityscapes that mark his life in Manhattan. “I wanted to reveal the aspects of myself that I am most mystified and riveted by – my sexuality, my personal relationships, the masculine vs. feminine parts of my identity, and my place within society. After all, I grew up in small town Massachusetts, but I live in Chelsea, so I see all these things from two viewpoints.”

Arsenault’s off kilter yet utterly keen approach to personal revelation and social commentary is a perfect fit with ClampArt.

"Upon first encountering Arsenault's self-portraits, I was immediately struck by the humor, the freshness of vision and the innovation," says Brian Paul Clamp, director of ClampArt. “John has a great eye for the strange, the unexpected and the laugh-out-loud ridiculous. He is not afraid to poke fun at himself."

Filthy Gorgeous will be on exhibit at ClampArt Gallery from May 17th, through June 23rd.

John Arsenault is a New York based artist living in New York City. This is his second exhibition for ClampArt.

Established in 2000, ClampArt specializes in Modern and Contemporary Paintings, Prints and Photographs.