PHOTOGRAPHY: Exploring Photographer Steven Arnold’s Philosophy of Queer Mysticism

Written By Gary Hartley

Steven Arnold’s  (1943-1994) work features a vast array of imagined queer deities.

These gods and goddesses all form part of the artist’s philosophy of queer mysticism, which i-D describes as a fusion of “a wide array of religious, spiritual and cultural traditions” and “embracing ancient archetypes that eschewed the false binaries of gender and sexuality”.

“From a young age, Steven was exploring gender fluidity and non-binary consciousness. That openness gave him a broad lens that broke down the walls of separation between himself and those around him. This translated into his work. “Steven called it ‘androgyny of the soul’,” adds Vishnu Dass, the director of the Steven Arnold Museum and Archive.

Teaser trailer for the  Steven Arnold: Heavenly Bodies documentary:

Gary Hartley
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