This autumn, London’s Royal Academy is presenting a striking contrast in its courtyard through two sculptures that embody different artistic ideals. Alfred Drury’s 19th-century statue of Joshua Reynolds, the academy’s first president, depicts the painter in academic robes holding a palette and brush, symbolizing the traditional notion of art as noble and elevated. Opposite this, an 8.3-metre-high sculpture titled “Stack” by French-American artist Nicole Eisenman represents a more grounded, contemporary vision of the artist.

“Stack,” on display through February 5, features an androgynous figure clad in Birkenstocks, barefoot on the ground rather than elevated on a pedestal. The figure holds an empty wine glass rather than a paintbrush. Atop the figure’s back are a barrel of wine, a potato, a housecat, and a representation of British sculptor Phyllida Barlow, balancing a flowerpot on her head. Eisenman, influenced by Barlow and conceived during the COVID-19 pandemic, intended the work as a monument to the “unmonumental,” reflecting basic human needs: sustenance, companionship, art, and affection.

Eisenman rejects traditional portrayals of artists as heroic or grandiose. Instead, her subjects—often queer individuals, misfits, and punks—are depicted with everyday behaviors like scrolling phones or public displays of affection, blending the profound with the mundane. She describes the artist’s role as that of a “trickster,” exercising a rare kind of freedom to challenge norms and embody vulnerability.

Born in Scarsdale, New York, and a 1987 graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, Eisenman emerged in the 1990s New York art scene with a diverse range of styles spanning cubist compositions, surreal panoramas, and cartoon-like portraits. Although committed to figurative painting during decades when abstraction dominated, her work helped revitalize the figurative tradition, earning her a MacArthur fellowship in 2015.

In addition to painting, Eisenman began exploring sculpture in the 2010s, drawing inspiration from Phyllida Barlow’s teachings on balance and form. In 2022, Barlow visited Eisenman’s Brooklyn studio to be 3D-scanned for “Stack” shortly before her death at age 78. Despite the personal connection, Eisenman does not view the work as a memorial but saw the Royal Academy, where Barlow was an elected Academician from 2011, as its appropriate debut venue.

Eisenman has also been vocal about political issues, notably her support for Palestinian rights. Her stance sparked backlash following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, with some collectors threatening to sell her work in protest. A Jewish artist herself, Eisenman has said she has faced accusations of antisemitism after calling for the protection of innocent lives, highlighting the fraught nature of discourse around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict within the art world.

Her recent exhibitions reflect both political engagement and personal resilience. A show at Sadie Coles HQ in London, running through November 21, showcases new paintings that address contemporary issues and moments of joy, such as an exuberant, chaotic scene titled “The Orgy” and “The Waiter,” depicting a man gazing at Stonehenge. Earlier this year, New York’s Museum of Modern Art acquired Eisenman’s “The Auction,” a painting inspired by tensions between artists and collectors amid political controversy. The work portrays an auction-cum-courtroom scenario, hinting at the scrutiny Eisenman has faced.

Eisenman continues to explore themes of human frailty, connection, and dissent through her multifaceted practice. While acknowledging the challenges of speaking out, she remains committed to exposing both the imperfections and the possibilities of the world around her.