Steven Arnold
Self-Portrait, 1985
California-born, American artist Steven Arnold devoted his career to the art of transformation. Arnold considered himself a set and costume designer, photographer, painter, illustrator, assemblage artist, and perhaps above all, a filmmaker.
In February 1968, shortly before his graduation from San Francisco’s Art Institute, a young Steven Arnold rented The Palace Theatre, a cultural hotspot in San Francisco’s North Beach, for a special screening of his film ‘Messages, Messages’; a project that was largely inspired by the avant-garde surrealist films of artist Man Ray. In tandem with Messages, Messages, Arnold curated a rare collection of surrealist films by Man Ray, Melies, and old French animations, all of which fueled the creation of his early yet extremely astute study of directing and filmmaking.
Steven Arnold
Sea of Transitions, 1980's
Steven Arnold
Untitled, 1970's
Steven Arnold
Snail Man, 1970's
Steven Arnold
Hunger for the Marvelous, 1970's
Steven Arnold
Portrait of Kaisik Wong, 1970's
Steven Arnold
Invitation to Yin Yang
In the spring of 1968, Arnold began creating works he titled ‘Nocturnal Dreamshows’, which were dazzling hybrid experiences that included drag shows, costumes designed by Arnold, innovative and almost magical sets, and ethereal environments that were made to shock, surprise and engage. The Dreamshows were stylistically surrealist, and included both narrative and musical performances. Arnold’s Dreamshows most notably launched ‘The Cockettes’, a psychedelic San Francisco drag troupe, into underground fame.
Steven Arnold
Luminous Procuress, 1971
Steven Arnold
The Cocketters, 1968
Steven Arnold
Luminous Procuress, 1971
Steven Arnold
Pandora, Luminous Procuress, 1971
Steven Arnold
Still from Luminous Procuress, 1971
Steven Arnold
Luminous Procuress Flyer, 1971
Shortly after the success of his Dreamshows, Arnold began working on one of his most infamous films, ‘Luminous Procuress’, winning him the 1972 New Director’s award at the San Francisco International Film Festival, and the admiration of fellow artist Salvador Dalí. Dali was so impressed by Arnold that he arranged a private screening of ‘Luminous Procuress’ at the St. Regis Hotel, to which he invited New York’s high society, including Andy Warhol, who also praised the film’s genius and dizzying glamour.
Steven Arnold
Portrait of Salvador Dali, Kaisik Wong, Merle and Marylin, 1970's
Steven Arnold
Opening of Dali’s Teatro-Museo Dali in Figueras, Spain, September 28, 1974
Steven Arnold
Dali and Pandora at St. Regis Hotel, New York, NY, 1988
Steven Arnold
Dali, Kaisik, and Marilyn, 1974
Steven Arnold
Kaisik Wong with Dali's Cane, 1974
Arnold became a favorite of Dalí’s, and in 1974, apprenticed with the surrealist in Spain, helping him to embellish and inaugurate his ‘Teatro-Museo Dalí’. Dalí dubbed Arnold the 'prince' of his Court of Miracles, which included other counter-culture icons such as Donyale Luna, Andy Warhol Superstar ‘Ultra Violet’, Amanda Lear, Marianne Faithfull, David Bowie and Mick Jagger.
Steven Arnold
Angie Bowie and Robert Musselman, 1984
Steven Arnold
Dawn Younger-Smith
Steven Arnold
Evocation of Dalia, 1980's
Steven Arnold
Grotto of Madame la Mort, 1982
Steven Arnold
Klimtesque, 1970's
Steven Arnold
Rocky Horror Picture Show, 1970's
Steven Arnold
Portrait of Sarah
Despite his artistic success, Arnold’s health was not in good standing and in 1994 he suffered an untimely passing at the age of 51 years old, following the height of his popularity. Although Steven Arnold’s life was cut shorter than most, the extravagant and influential work which he left behind has gone on to influence generations of avant-garde rule breakers in every facet of the visual arts.
Steven Arnold
In Makeup, Self Portrait
Steven Arnold
Self Portrait, Oil on Canvas, 1974
Steven Arnold
Self Portrait
Steven Arnold
Self Portrait in Zanzibar Studios, 1980's
Steven Arnold
Self Portrait, Untitled, 1970's
