Nicole Eisenman's 2016 Anton Kern Gallery Exhibition Explores Ambiguity and Gender Fluidity

Nicole Eisenman's solo exhibition at Anton Kern Gallery in New York ran from May 19 to June 25, 2016, at 532 West 20th Street. The show highlighted her evolving approach to ambiguity, moving beyond the more easily interpreted works in her 2016 New Museum survey "Al-ugh-gories." Eisenman, a MacArthur Fellowship recipient, focuses on everyday scenes to subvert norms, with paintings like Another Green World (2015) featuring 28 figures of indeterminate gender and sexuality in a party setting that blends past and present through details like a disco ball and a cell phone. This large canvas, measuring 128 by 106 inches, addresses the figure/ground problem by treating shapes as painterly puzzles, using masterful drawing to create space. Other notable works include Weeks on the Train (2015), which rotates train windows for a high perspective, and Morning Studio (2016), depicting two embracing figures with emotional complexity. The exhibition contrasts her spontaneous drawings, described as pure id, with her more calculated paintings that engage with art historical protocols. Eisenman's work resonates with themes of queer and gender fluid identity, reflecting cultural discourse while challenging viewers to navigate ambiguity without fixed binaries.