Medium: mixed media on newsprint
Size: 18" x 24"
Year: 1997
Framed: unframed
"Cotton Fever" by Markham is a striking and evocative mixed media piece created as the album cover art for the band Moaning Dwarf's release of the same name. The artwork centers around the band's logo character, Kleetis, depicted with an amputated arm from which cotton balls shoot out, symbolizing the practice of filtering drugs for injection.
The smeared gray background adds to the atmosphere of decay and desperation, while a syringe and twisted plastic wrap, attached by bright blue clay, further emphasize the theme of addiction and its destructive consequences.
In Kleetis's other hand, a pile of heroin is held, serving as a potent reminder of the horrors of addiction and the affliction caused by this devastating drug.
Executed on newsprint with mixed media techniques, "Cotton Fever" captures the gritty and raw essence of the band's music and message. Despite being created in 1997, the piece remains relevant, speaking to the ongoing struggle against drug addiction and its impact on individuals and communities.
Presented in good condition and accompanied by an artist's certificate of authenticity, "Cotton Fever" stands as a powerful visual statement, inviting viewers to confront the harsh realities of substance abuse and addiction.
