Books
In A Slant of Shadow, Arthur Bruso takes readers on a captivating journey to explore art objects that transcend mere beauty, becoming vessels of supernatural intent. These artifacts—whether designed to guide spirits, invoke divine power, or protect souls—show that art, across cultures, has always possessed a dimension beyond the visual. Through ancient Mesoamerican rituals and European occult practices, Bruso uncovers the hidden purpose and potency within these objects.
Bruso’s essays dwell in the twilight realm where art, mystery, and magic intersect—where objects exist neither fully in light nor in darkness. These artifacts inhabit a liminal space, reflecting transformation, possibility, and mysticism. They challenge us to see art not only for its form but as a conduit to something greater—bridging the material and spiritual worlds.
A Slant of Shadow offers a profound meditation on art’s ability to hold both beauty and power. Bruso invites readers to reflect on the invisible forces that shape not only the objects we admire but also our perceptions of life, death, and the unknown. For those seeking more than decoration in art, this collection offers a deeper way of seeing—a glimpse into a netherworld where aesthetics, magic, and spirituality converge.
After months of excruciating pain that left him struggling to walk, artist and writer Arthur Bruso was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer. Aggressive treatment rendered his cancer “undetectable” within six months, but this apparent victory led Bruso into a deep reflection on his fragile mortality.
Amid this introspection, Bruso discovered Fellow Travelers, a streaming series based on Thomas Mallon’s novel, which follows Tim Laughlin and Hawk Fuller as they navigate a clandestine relationship during the McCarthy-era Lavender Scare of the 1950s, continuing through the AIDS pandemic of the 1980s. This show became a powerful catalyst, unlocking a deluge of Bruso’s own memories.
Bruso draws striking parallels between the lives of these fictional characters and his own experiences as a gay man. From his early sexual awakening and experiences to the heartbreaking murder and funeral of his first serious partner, Bruso’s memoir juxtaposes the dramatic episodes of Fellow Travelers with deeply personal chapters of his life. While the timelines and specifics may differ, the emotional and social struggles resonate with uncanny similarity.
So Far Away No One Will Notice is a moving testament to the resilience and complexity of queer lives, urging readers to reflect on how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go.
Photo Books
These books are collections of my photographic output, beginning with my exhibition Into the Magic Space. They include images from my childhood through my adolescent years, that I revisited and reimagined as an adult.
Light Magic
This collection of photographs features newly reimagined Polaroid images taken during artist Arthur Bruso’s youth. Light Magic also includes an essay on the Polaroid camera and the appeal to the youth market of its time.
In Each Age a Lens, I revisit my earliest photographs and reimagine them through my experience as an artist and photographer. The photographs were taken between the ages of 6 – 10. They were all taken with a simple, point and shoot cameras, but they record my childhood experience within my family and myself as a budding artist. They are a testament to the genesis of my creative seeing and a document of a child growing up within a close knit family of siblings. They are also a reckoning of my childhood and the people both gone and still living that helped shape me as a person. Read the opening essay here.
