Nicole Eisenman Art Review: ICE Goons and Sublime Stargazing 2026

In this Nicole Eisenman art review, we explore her latest London exhibition at Sadie Coles, where ICE-like goons clash with sublime stargazing as America's magical magpie returns. Eisenman's work has always been a barometer of contemporary American life, and her new show is no exception.

Nicole Eisenman's Return to London: A Sequel to 'What Happened'

Nicole Eisenman's 2023 exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery took its title from Hillary Clinton's account of the 2016 US presidential election: 'What happened.' With its absurdist riffs on contemporary American life, the show confirmed that Eisenman is among the most important artists of her time and that 'what happened' was a disaster. So her return to London might be thought of as a sequel, with the working title: 'So what do we do now?'

Eisenman is justly celebrated for her rambunctious, magpie and irreverent subversions of the conventional histories of art and society. A painter who has lately (and successfully) turned to sculpture, her work often places people in situations – ranging from crowded bars to town squares flooded with mud – that match broad humour to sharp technique in reflecting on how our identities are shaped by the company we keep.

The Waiter: A Solitary Figure Amid Stonehenge

And yet my first thought on entering Sadie Coles' gallery was the artist had turned her back on the world. The ground floor is dominated by a vast painting of a solitary figure standing alone amid the ruins of Stonehenge. Identified by the title as The Waiter, he looks up to a night sky teeming with the wonders of the universe and holds a drum but does not play it. The painting is overwhelming, not only for its scale but also for its dazzling variety of tones and textures, from the schematic design of the planets to its impasto surfaces.

ICE-Like Goons and Political Commentary

But Eisenman hasn't turned her back. In the upper galleries, the show pivots to a series of works that directly confront the political climate. Here, ICE-like goons – uniformed, faceless figures – clash with scenes of sublime stargazing. The juxtaposition is jarring: the brutality of state violence against the transcendent beauty of the cosmos. Eisenman forces us to ask: how do we find meaning when democracy is under siege?

Comparing Eisenman's Themes: Then and Now

Key Takeaways from Nicole Eisenman's Latest Exhibition

• Eisenman continues to be a vital voice in contemporary art, blending humor with sharp political critique.
• The show juxtaposes the sublime (stargazing) with the brutal (ICE-like goons), creating a powerful tension.
• Her foray into sculpture adds new dimensions to her exploration of identity and community.
• The exhibition serves as a sequel to her 2023 Whitechapel show, asking 'So what do we do now?'

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