I consider my works to be living art. For me, the mirror is airtight. It accepts the past and acknowledges the future but reflects this moment only. I want to evoke hope and happiness in my work - eternal optimism.
Mark Eisen, May 2022
Artist Mark Eisen combines material and process in ways that explore an object's potential to activate space. His geometric sculptures are characterized by a personal set of principles formed by the analysis of pure shapes, silhouettes and forms; the possibilities of material transformation; the affective compass of color; and the mechanics of layering, reflectivity, concavity and convexity.
Mark works exclusively with mathematically-described, simple geometric shapes. They are pure -not abstracted. Balance is an essential element where the strict geometry of layered shapes is softened by the sensuality of concave or convex form and the emotive quality of color. These artworks are the product of a rewarding journey to find the exact working methods to translate Mark's vision. He has fostered relationships with renowned craftspeople, highly experienced in both innovative technologies and traditional processes.
Inspired not only by Bauhaus ideals but also the natural world, Mark describes creating "living objects" - art that is a part of our lives by reflecting our lives. The highly reflective finish of the works causes one to effectively become a part of them. Responsive to ambient conditions such as movement and light, the radiance and mood of various times of day can be amplified.
Eisen proposes a matrix, building successive variations upon a theme. For example, colorways are stories unto themselves. Color functions to activate a magnetic polarity between the artwork's vibrant painted portion and its mirror polished stainless steel counterpart. Sculptural combinations are repeated in subsequent works with variant colorways, rendering each piece unique.
Eisen's practice originates from the same essential elements he has pursued in conceptualizing and creating design for over thirty years. His artworks follow a trajectory of minimal abstraction, with potential forerunners being Ellsworth Kelly, John McCracken or Daniel Buren, although they are deeply individual.
Mark's contribution to the dialogue of contemporary art is to create objects that consider perception to be ever-expansive. We might consider these works to be observatories in one sense and mandalas in another - combining the timelessness of geometric form with sensory perception.