| Artist | Max Leiva | Resides | Guatemala |
| Website | maxleiva.com | Medium | Bronze |
| Follow the Artist | Instagram | Facebook | asistenteestudiomaxleiva@gmail.com esculturas@maxleiva.com | |
| Themes | Human essence |
About the artist
Max Leiva was born in Guatemala on January 17, 1966. He studied for three years at the Rafael Rodríguez Padilla National School of Plastic Arts, between 1972 and 1975. In 1988, he enrolled in the National School of Plastic Arts. In 1991, when he was in his third year of studies at the School of Fine Arts, he traveled to Bangkok, Thailand on a UNESCO scholarship to study sculpture at Silpakorn University where he worked in clay and plaster directly with live models.
On his return from Bangkok -between 1993 and 1995-, Max decided to set up a small workshop in his mother’s house and began to teach. In 1996, the Guatemalan Olympic Committee gave him his first international commission: a sculpture of a Mayan Ball Player, to be installed at the Olympic Academy in Olympia, Greece.
He has participated in important sculpture symposia in different parts of the world and with the support of companies he organized the 1st and 2nd International Sculpture Festival “Guatemala Immortal”.
Participant in collective exhibitions and International Art Fairs in Miami, California, Colorado; among others. His last solo exhibitions, Museo de Arte del Salvador in 2016, “Pernexus” Guatemala City in 2018, “Synopsis” Palm Springs, California in 2019 and “Relieves” in Guatemala City in November 2022. Creator of several public monuments such as the Monument to Miguel Angel Asturias on Reforma Avenue, Guatemala City in 1999.
Currently, Max spends most of his time in his studio, where he prepares future exhibitions or carries out public and private projects.
Max Leiva is the 3rd prize winner of the Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award, Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize 2025
Artwork Themes & Subject Matter
Max Leiva is fascinated by the issues related to the human essence, our very condition, our fragility and behavior in society and the realities which sooner or later we will all face.
Press
Max Leiva’s sculptures have been featured in notable magazine and online sources including Narce 73, WePresent, Republica, esto no es ARTE, News Mediator and Blog Art Plus.
CV
Education
2005 Metal patina, Maestro Ron Young, New York, United States
1998-1999 Workshop Assistant, Master Dagoberto Vasquez, Guatemala
1988-1992 National School of Plastic Arts, specialty in sculpture, Guatemala
1991-1993 Bronze sculpture and casting, UNESCO Scholarship, Silpakorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
1990 Sculpture with model, master Dagoberto Vasquez, Guatemala
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2022
Relieves, bronze sculpture exhibition, El Túnel Gallery, Guatemala City.
2019
Synopsis, bronze sculpture exhibition, Jorge Méndez Gallery, Palm Springs, CA. United States
2018
Pernexus, bronze sculpture exhibition, El Túnel Gallery, Guatemala City
2016
Sculpture exhibition, Museo de Arte de El Salvador, San Salvador, El Salvador
2012
Sculpture exhibition, Klaus Steinmetz Contemporary Art, San José, Costa Rica
Exhibition of iron and bronze sculptures, El Túnel Gallery, Guatemala City
2008
El Arte está en juego, sculpture exhibition, Carlos Woods Gallery, Guatemala City
2005
Ceramic Exhibition, El Áttico Gallery, Guatemala City
2004
Sculpture exhibition, Espacio Gallery, San Salvador, El Salvador
2002
Ladrones, bronze sculpture exhibition, El Áttico Gallery, Guatemala City
Selected Group Exhibitions
2023
Encuentro, Galeria el Tunel, Guatemala City
