Jesus Antonio Rivera
Biography
Jesus Antonio Rivera, also known under the moniker Demonbabies, is a Metro Detroit–raised, Los Angeles–based multidisciplinary artist and director whose work spans film, video, collage, painting, and performance. A former member of a Public Access Television collective, he first cut his teeth making analog, guerrilla video art with friends—an early immersion that shaped his raw, experimental style. Over the years, he transitioned into commercial and music video production, balancing professional industry work with a steady practice in underground media. His work frequently explores themes of childhood trauma, mental illness, fractured memories, abandonment, and buried family histories—channeling these subjects through a visual language that ranges from lo-fi psychotronic, comedy, horror and surreal absurdity to high-fidelity nightmare beauty. Rivera served on the Board of Directors for Coaxial Arts Foundation for eight years and is the co-founder of the cinema collective Cathode Cinema. His work has been showcased globally in galleries, in print, and even on clothing, reflecting a career built at the intersection of underground art and outsider media.
Known For & Full Filmography6 Titles
Movie - 2014, 2h 15m • as Anton
A struggling barbershop finds itself suddenly popular after an online listing mistake and the only person with the experience to handle the new clientele is haunted by a horrific grooming mistake made years earlier and the rivalry that caused it.
Movie - 2013, 2h 15m • as Darion
A tale about death, drugs, and rock 'n' roll.
Movie - 2001, 2h 15m • Main Cast Role
A man, in a deep state of psychosis, wanders through a series of disturbing vignettes uncovering a personal reality.
Movie - 2015, 2h 15m • as Mama
A 3-act collage / short film that explores abandonment, mental waves and dark family myths. Exhibited at the 'Infinity Stage: Smashism' Group show at Coaxial Arts in Los Angeles, made possible in part by the Mike Kelley Foundation of the Arts grant.
Movie - 2016, 2h 15m • as Boy
A mixed media video collage story, loosely based on a series of autobiographical summer camp events.
Movie - 2016, 2h 15m • as Himself
When the eccentric cast of a mid-90s Public Access show in Detroit reunite after 20 years to make a new episode, they are forced to take a hard look at their lives and reconcile their teenage dreams with the realities of adulthood.