Medium: Pen and ink on paper
Size: 9 x 12 inches
Year: 2004
The Perversion of Religion by Markham is a pen and ink drawing on paper, created on October 22, 2004. Measuring 9 x 12 inches, this original work is hand signed by the artist and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.
The composition forms a stark cross built entirely from repeated human figures, stacked and oriented to create a symbol that is immediately recognizable and deeply confrontational. By constructing the religious iconography out of the human body itself, the piece strips away abstraction and replaces it with flesh, repetition, and submission. The result is unsettling by design.
This work confronts the way belief systems can distort, consume, and repurpose humanity, turning individuals into structural components rather than autonomous beings. The minimal line work and empty negative space amplify the severity of the message, leaving no room for comfort or decoration.
The Perversion of Religion is an early example of Markham’s uncompromising approach to symbolism and critique. It is best suited for collectors who value challenging subject matter, raw conceptual clarity, and artwork that refuses to soften its point.
