FEATURED ARTIST | Stephen Seemayer

For over five decades, Los Angeles-born artist Stephen Seemayer has used painting, film, photography, and performance to beg the question: what does it mean to remain human in a dehumanizing world? Refusing to confine himself to a single medium, Seemayer has explored his whole life through the lens of creation, allowing concept to guide his process with fluid mediums that lay the groundwork for deep thought. Raised in an artistic household, seeking inspiration through every facet of life came naturally to Seemayer and set a path that would lead to his calling in the art world for decades to come. Frequently confronting the contradictions of modern society, his work exposes the tension between the promise of freedom and the systems that continue to restrict the public.

Through layered mixed-media compositions and enigmatic imagery, Seemayer invites viewers to grapple with themes of social hierarchy, materialism, AI automation, and humanity’s fragile relationship with the natural world. Rather than offering clear answers, Seemayer deliberately cultivates mystery in his work and encourages viewers to pause and reflect through their own unique interpretations. He often draws his visual language from anatomy, archaeology, mythology, and contemporary culture, producing works that simultaneously feel both historical and eerily relevant to the present moment. Dark palettes and macabre symbolism appear throughout his work, reinforcing the sense of unease that accompanies his critique of social structures and collective values. Natural, handmade supports, paints, and colorants enhance the deeply human connections within his works, involving mediums like eggshell tempera, bone, ground marble, and traditional Mesoamerican cochineal pigments.

Recent projects continue his exploration of humanity’s place within an increasingly chaotic and technological world. Finding particular interest in celebrating the value of human touch, Seemayer says “My new paintings celebrate humanity’s totems, achievements and objects of desire… [to] remind us of the greatness of human imagination and ingenuity” in an era increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence. After decades in the industry, he values allowing the process to unfold unpredictably, letting instincts take the reins until the image reveals itself in the end. With upcoming performances, paintings, and documentaries in the works, he still approaches each idea with curiosity. Through this ongoing pursuit, Seemayer reminds audiences that art can serve as both a mirror and a challenge, reflecting the world as it is while urging us to reconsider the values that shape it.

Stephen Seemayer (American, b. 1954) is a Los Angeles-born painter, filmmaker and performance artist. In a career spanning more than 40 years, he has mounted performances and exhibitions at galleries and museums across the United States. Using imagery drawn from anatomy, archaeology and history and popular culture, Seemayer confronts his audience with the question of what it means to be human in a dehumanizing society. The artist and his work have been featured in The Los Angeles Times, Artforum, Art News, Artillery Magazine, High Performance, Art Scene, Art Week, Coagula Art Journal, Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, KNBC-TV Channel 4, and more. Additionally, he has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions, and included in institutional publications such as The California/International Arts Foundation, Los Angeles; and Contemporary Arts Press, San Francisco. The artist lives and works in Los Angeles, California.