Nicole Eisenman: What Happened

Intriguing exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery of the work of Nicole Eisenman.

I had not come across the work of this American artist before and found it odd but engaging. I was interested in how she often referenced older works like quoting Brueghel’s “The Blind Leading the Blind” in one picture. I often found myself laughing out loud which always feels an odd thing to do in a gallery.

I found it strange that a lot of her work seemed to quote Philip Guston with its pink, chubby fingered, one-eyed characters and yet this was never mentioned.

I preferred the paintings to the sculpture but did find they worked well together. I loved the last room with a sculptural installation incorporating a figure using a working potter’s wheel. I could have watched it for hours.

Closed 14 January 2024


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