Stephen Kasner

Stephen Kasner (April 3, 1970 – December 25, 2019) was an American multidisciplinary performer from Cleveland, Ohio, United States. Primarily a painter and illustrator but as well as a musician, photographer, graphic artist, occultist and magician; Kasner was mainly known through his cover artwork designs for bands such as Rotting Christ, Decrepit, Sunn O))), Integrity, Marduk, & Pulling Teeth among many others.

His paintings have been exhibited anything over the world and are noted for their sinister (sometimes satanic) themes and otherworldly aesthetic; influencing a new wave of artists in the dark arts. His artwork, drawings and photographs usually reflect visions of a pre/post-apocalyptic industrial landscape and the strive for survival contained in dreams of enlightenment.

Besides functioning in paint, photography, and drawings Stephen Kasner in addition to created experimental music below the herald Blood Fountains, where he performed on guitars, bass, and keyboards.

He did album artwork for Khlyst, Sunn O))), Integrity, Lotus Eaters, Skullflower, Justin Broadrick, Subarachnoid Space and Martin Grech, among many others.

Kasner released the book Stephen Kasner Works: 1993 – 2006 (Scapegoat Publishing, 2007), a lavish career retrospective in the same way as text by various artistic luminaries and collaborations gone Seldon Hunt, David D'Andrea, Dwid Hellion, Steven Leyba, and Steven Cerio.

Stephen Kasner died on December 25, 2019. His longtime friend and fellow Cleveland native, Dwid, from the band Integrity (for which Kasner had provided artwork) posted through Twitter in homage: "Stephen Kasner was my friend. He will be deeply missed. I wish that his artwork will remind us of his grief-stricken brilliance and haunted vision. May his death encourage as a stark reminder of how fragile we can be. To those of you who may be struggling out there, who might air alone. You are not alone. Stay strong."