Nicole Eisenman Visits Scarsdale

I have been an admirer of Nicole Eisenman's work ever since her mother, former Village Trustee Kay Eisenman introduced me to her famed daughter at a Greenacres carnival of all places. When her series of 45 portraits appeared at the Whitney Biennial we paid a visit and were instantly drawn to her approachable and colorful paintings which are as much social commentary as they are art. Unlike many current abstract modern artists, Eisenman's works clearly have a subject and express a point of view. She covers the gamut from politics, to gender, technology and the ironies of modern life. You don't' need to be trained in art history to enjoy her very accessible works.

Eisenman's fame has spiraled in the last few years and she currently has a show at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia, was featured in a show at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, won the Carnegie Prize -- Carnegie International's top award -- and had a solo show at the Contemporary Art Museum in St. Louis.

That's why I was surprised to hear that Eisenman would be appearing at Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale with MOMA curator Laura Hoptman. I quickly cancelled my theatre tickets so that I could be there.

It turns out that Eisenman has quite a few admirers. Among them are collectors Marty and Rebecca Eisenberg, who are Scarsdale residents and members of Westchester Reform Temple. They arranged for an exhibition of Eisenman's prints at WRT and the discussion with Hoptman on November 9.

Rabbi Blake introduced Eisenman and told the audience that she had distinguished herself early on in Scarsdale – winning the Halloween window painting contest, contributing memorable illustrations to the SHS Yearbook and even painting a mural on the walls of the school that was subsequently painted over. Eisenman looked sharp in a sleek black pants and a blazer – adding a touch of humor to her appearance by wearing a Mickey Mouse t-shirt underneath.

Asked about the forces that shaped her development as an artist she mentioned her art classes with teacher Joan Busing, trips to museums, and cartoons in The New Yorker. Hoptman asked where Eisenman gets the ideas for the stories behind her work and Eisenman said, "I believe in story-telling. My father is a psychiatrist and listens to stories, my grandfather was a rabbi and told stories. I believe in narrative." She continued by saying, "I work from an interior place. The takeoff is my own emotional response." And she later added, "My sense of the world comes from what I was taught by my family."

Discussing the creative process, Eisenman said she often sketches first, reads poetry and sits and thinks. For inspiration she visits the studios of other artists, museums and sometimes galleries. About painting, Eisenman said, "When I paint I go into the zone ... into deep right brain mode."

A selection of Eisenman's prints are on display at Westchester Reform Temple until early January. Stop by and take a look.