New Times Contributor Sean Levisman, Dead at 42

Sean Levisman started writing for Miami New Times in 2008, sort of on a whim.

As is all too common these days, he left a comment on an article criticizing the publication's coverage. But unlike many unhinged comments on the internet today, Sean's critique was so well-written and -argued that then-music editor Arielle Castillo and I asked him to consider joining us as a contributing writer.

On Tuesday, Sean died by suicide at age 42. He leaves a legacy that stretches far beyond his contribution to New Times.

Sean was born in 1982 in Los Angeles and spent his early years living in communal settlements in Israel and Colombia, the latter his mother's native country. His family later moved to Buenos Aires, where he spent his formative years. It was there that his love of music blossomed. According to his longtime friend, Gastón Derchi, Sean learned to play the Doors' hit "Light My Fire" on the organ entirely by ear at age 10. Though he never formally learned to read sheet music, he soon took up other instruments, including alto saxophone, guitar, bass, and drums. In high school, he formed a band called Wish, cementing his love for performance.

He was also a gifted visual artist. His artwork was deeply expressive and emotive, blending figurative expressionism with abstract expressionist influences. His paintings often featured distorted human forms, striking color contrasts, and emotionally charged imagery.

After studying graphic design and writing at Suffolk University in Boston, he moved to Miami to work full-time as a marketing and advertising copywriter. His true passion, though, was writing, and Derchi says his contributions to New Times were his greatest source of pride.

Most of his writing for New Times covered Miami's electronic music scene, so it's only natural that he immersed himself fully into it as a DJ and music producer. He occasionally spun at venues like the Electric Pickle and Do Not Sit on the Furniture. He later teamed with his friend Jonathan Schwab to form Swanken, a funky house duo they described as "two white boys on an epic quest to find that elusive thing called soul."

Sean struggled with addiction for most of his adult life, something he was never afraid to speak up about. "It’s time to destigmatize addiction," he declared on Instagram, sharing drawings he made during his stint in rehab.

As his longtime editor, I will mostly remember Sean for his sharp wit and magnetic smile. Few writers as thoughtful and knowledgeable as Sean are also humble. He never saw himself as "better than" anyone and rarely complained about any edits, large or small, that we made to his work — not that it much needed them. Sean was the rare writer who handed in pieces that were nearly ready to publish.

Sean is survived by his brother, Adrian, and his parents, Julieta and Eddie.

If you are in crisis, please call, text, or chat with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.