Steven Johnson Leyba

Steven Johnson Leyba (born September 3, 1966) is an artist, painter, fine art book maker, author, spoken word performance artist, and musician, who claims Mescalero Apache ancestry. He has been called the father of “Sexpressionism” by art critic Carlo McCormick.

His work has been criticized for using the swastika symbol and sexual imagery for the purposes of shock and controversy.

In 1994 he was made a Reverend in the Church of Satan by Anton LaVey.

Leyba’s mixed media paintings utilize photographic collage, acrylic paint, oil paint, beadwork, as well as human blood. Leyba’s work attempts to 'liberate' human sexuality from commercialism. Using recontextualized images of human genitalia he emphasizes aesthetic notions of beauty and the politics of sexuality.

His hand-made fine art books which can weigh up to seventy pounds consist of bound pages of paintings on canvas.

His public performances consist of spoken word rants, cutting, piercing and extreme acts of degradation and sadomasochism.

He has released two albums of spoken word and music on Adversary Records: The Rev. Steven Johnson Leyba Presents: The United Satanic Apache Front, and Fuck Your Freedom. He has produced album covers for the bands Unveiled and Faggot.

Leyba is currently on mixmedia Book 14 : WAR IS TRUTH.

Lebya is also involved with a side musical project entitled Project #9, a collaboration of Leyba's spoken word, and a highly regarded artist by the name of Marly Preston. They have toured the west coast, and have released one album together, entitled Covenant of the Blade.

Leyba is inspired by Native American motifs such as the swastika, Apache Gahn Dancers, images of Native American warriors such as Geronimo, as well as the landscape of the human body.

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