About the Artist — Markham

Markham is a surrealist pop artist based in Detroit, known for remixing cultural icons and personal symbols into dreamlike scenes of chaos and beauty. His one-of-a-kind works explore the grotesque and the iconic, often through the lens of retro nostalgia, monsters, and raw emotion. His art doesn’t match your furniture — it challenges your perception.

Markham’s vivid paintings and murals have appeared in galleries, public installations, and private collections around the world. His works have been featured in publications such as The Finger Mag, Propulsion Magazine, Studio Visit, Ink and Voices, and Anima Mundi.

Drawing inspiration from Dalí, Da Vinci, and H.R. Giger — along with 1980s horror, Atari cartridges, and rock iconography — Markham embraces a surrealist approach to explore the “beautiful ugly side of life.” His work defies boundaries, capturing themes many shy away from with raw, expressive force.

As a drummer and vocalist in Detroit’s underground music scene, Markham brings a rhythmic, introspective edge to his portraits. His visual tributes — like the hauntingly juxtaposed versions of Paul McCartney in Didn’t Know What I Would Find There — blend memory, myth, and meaning with arresting impact.

“Markham’s work is an embodiment of the independent artistic spirit that intuitively expresses dark overtones of monsters and uncertainty... revealing the beautiful ugly side of life that has no boundaries.”
– N. Matta