by 
Fourteen months after the death of fashion designer and artist Mark Eisen, his sculpture will be exhibited at the Palm Beach Art Fair next week.
Although Modern House Fine Art founder Ray Waterhouse never met Eisen in person, the artist and his wife Karen visited the London gallery in 2012 and kept abreast of its activities. After Eisen’s unexpected death in November 2023, she reached out to Waterhouse, whose gallery now represents the late artist’s work. Karen Eisen inquired whether they could “make their dream of promoting his sculpture come true,” he said.
More from WWD
Eisen’s work will be featured at Art Palm Beach, January 22-26 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. The geometric shapes vary, the height and width of each of his pieces is 50 x 50 inches. They should change light, movement and space in such a way that the viewer is drawn into the experience.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Eisen made a name for himself as an up-and-coming designer in the then-vibrant New York fashion scene. Jodie Kidd, Carolyn Murphy and Esther Canadas were among the models he hired for his runway shows. At his peak, Eisen had design studios in New York, Italy, Japan and Hong Kong. His collections – which focused on simple and minimalist designs – were sold in more than 800 stores in 18 countries for 18 years. In 2000, Eisen entered into a 50:50 partnership with Sportswear Co. SpA, the Italian company behind the CP Company and Stone Island labels, to produce and distribute the Mark Eisen collection. Before he left the industry, his company was a $20 million company.
After marrying his wife in 2006, the couple raised two children and family life became Eisen’s main priority. In 2007, he temporarily moved back to his native South Africa, where he purchased and renovated a 17th-century French Huguenot wine farm. In addition to making wine, Eisen used his time on the farm to focus on industrial design for the luxury group Compagnie Financière Richemont. At the same time, Eisen pursued his art as a sculptor.
Eisen died by suicide in November 2023 at the age of 65.
Waterhouse pointed out that artist Anish Kapoor’s mirror works sell for between $500,000 and $2 million and said Eisen’s work was “far better produced.” Despite sounding contradictory, Eisen’s pieces seem very simple, but the minimalist creations have complex shapes, including concave ones. The sculpture is also very reflective because Eisen wanted the viewer to become part of the work, said the gallery owner. “This happens because as you move around the room, your reflection is shared,” he added.
After 50 years in the art market, Waterhouse said he has never seen anything as well-made as Eisen’s sculptures. The investment in production and exhibition was between 600,000 and 700,000 US dollars. Eisen traveled to foundries in California, New York State and Germany to see the quality of each factory. Some of the sculptures were made in New York, but the best came from Germany, Waterhouse said. Each piece alone costs between $70,000 and $170,000 to make, he added. “They are incredibly well made. “The production is absolutely amazing,” he said.
Should additional orders be received, Modern House Fine Art will require a lead time of up to six months as it requires time to get to what Waterhouse calls the “best foundry in the world” in Germany. If you didn’t know Eisen was a designer, you wouldn’t shout about his art like that, said Waterhouse, who also has a gallery on the Upper East Side. However, his attention to detail and “desire to be simple and pure” pointed to his first career, he said.
Waterhouse acknowledged how bittersweet the debut of Eisen’s art is in light of his death and praised his wife for doing her best to realize his dream of exhibiting and honoring these sculptures. Karen Eisen, who declined to comment, will be attending Art Palm Beach.
Fern Mallis, a fashion consultant, host of “Fashion Icons” and former executive director of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, recalled Thursday how Eisen invited her to lunch in October 2023 after she hadn’t heard from or seen him since several years. “He made a special trip into town from Massachusetts to have lunch and introduce me to his art – the huge, beautiful sculptures he created. He was so excited about them and said he had finally found his passion. His work was beautiful. I wanted to help him find some galleries and contacts in New York,” she said. “And maybe three weeks later he took his own life.”
She added: “I’m really pleased that his work is finally on display. I know he would be smiling from ear to ear. He was so excited and proud of this new world of art he was entering – leaving fashion far behind.”
The first edition of Eisen’s work is being offered at a reduced price to collectors at Art Palm Beach. Waterhouse said he expected the pieces to be “very good” “just based on their quality and their beauty and impact.” Although he offered that what he had often thought would sell is not selling, and vice versa. “But I think Palm Beach is a very good place to start the action. We need people with taste, money and an appreciation for how beautiful they are,” he said.
If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, you can find a list of global suicide hotlines at www.suicidestop.com. Additionally, if you dial, text, or chat in the United States, you will be directed to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The Lifeline phone number is 800-273-8255 and is also available to anyone experiencing emotional distress or a suicidal crisis.
The best of WWD
Sign up for the WWD newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
