NICOLE EISENMAN
Woodcuts, Etchings, Lithographs and Monotypes
May 24 – June 30, 2012
545 West 23rd Street

It is our great pleasure to present an exhibition of new work by Nicole Eisenman, the artist’s fourth solo presentation at Leo Koenig Inc. and the first devoted entirely to her printmaking practice. The exhibition is comprised of etchings, monotypes, woodcuts, and unique works on paper, created in collaboration with New York-based printers Harlan & Weaver, Jungle Press, 10 Grand Press, and the Women’s Studio Workshop in Rosendale, NY.

Often cited as one of the seminal painters of her generation, Nicole Eisenman’s diverse practice embraces popular culture and encompasses many types of media and subject matter. Utilizing a wide and erudite variety of techniques culled from the history of printmaking, Eisenman approaches each of her subjects with a unique touch that adds to the sense that each of her figures, while inhabiting a common physical locale, exists in an isolated psychological space. The figures depicted often convey a sense of unsettled, contemplative thought and disenchantment with the status quo. From allegorical tableaux to singular portraits, Eisenman continues her sustained fascination with human interaction and isolation. These highly personal subjects speak explicitly to our current economic and political environment; however, the works ultimately go beyond these themes to explore a broader interest in the human condition. With an easygoing virtuosity accentuated by sharp wit and deadpan humor, Eisenman carves out a world in which meaning is elusive if not painfully unavailable.

Born in 1965 in Verdun, France, Nicole Eisenman earned her BFA in 1987 from the Rhode Island School of Design. Her work has been exhibited widely, both in the United States and internationally. Recent one-artist exhibitions have been held at The Tang Museum at Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY (2009–10); Kunsthalle Zurich (2007); and Le Plateau, Paris (2007). In addition, her work has been included in the 2012 Whitney Biennial and Prospect.2 New Orleans (2011), as well as recent group exhibitions at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (2011–12); The Jewish Museum, New York (2010); CCS Bard Hessel Museum of Art, Annandale, (2010); and The Museum of Modern Art, New York (2009).