Michael Markwick (*1974 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA) was awarded an MFA from Indiana University (Bloomington, IN, USA) in 2002 and a BFA from Calvin University, (Grand Rapids, MI, USA.) in 1998. He lives and works in Berlin.
The artist’s abstract paintings over the last 10 years often focus on topics related to ecocriticism and our human relationship to nature. These works explore themes such as our fragility, mortality, the energies present in nature, and our intersection with the Anthropocene epoch—a period characterized by a world heavily modified by human activity.
Materiality and physicality play important roles in the artist’s work. He navigates between delicate surfaces on semi-transparent silk and more intense, tactile processes such as grinding, cutting, and collage techniques. His materials are varied, using elements like sand, paper, canvas, acrylics, and Japanese papers to realize his artistic vision.
His influences are eclectic and wide-ranging, encompassing Expressionism, Lyrical Expressionism, Art Brut, the Cobra Art Movement, and Japanese Ukiyo-e printmaking. Additionally, he draws inspiration from literary sources, including the writings of Donna Haraway and themes from post-apocalyptic, and dystopian literature.
Markwick has received numerous nominations and awards, including the Netherlands Royal Painting Prize and the Wim Izaks Prize. He has also been honored with grants from the Mondriaan Fund in the Netherlands and the Senate Department for Culture and Europe in Berlin. His artwork is part of significant private and institutional collections around the world, such as the Martin von Wagner Museum in Würzburg, the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Calvin University, the Hong Kong Graphic Arts Center, Indiana University Museum of Art, and the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Markwick’s work has been widely exhibited in international universities, museums, and institutions. His most recent solo exhibitions include Galerie Born in Berlin (2020), the Martin von Wagner Museum (2018/19), and the Center of Contemporary Art in Dordrecht (2013). He has also participated in group exhibitions at the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag (2007), the Grand Rapids Art Museum (2010), Tiger Strikes Asteroid in Chicago (2020/21), and the Kourd Gallery, Athens in 2023.