Designer and artist Eva Eisler: I am looking for the truth, it can only be found in simplicity

“I see the exhibition as a turning point in my work. I decided to come out with the truth. To show that I have always had a relationship with natural materials, even if my work so far has aimed at perfectionism. Now I said no. I am influenced by the world around me and it is not perfect. Negative influence on nature, crises and conflicts in the world. We overlook everything. And our first reaction is, let’s arm ourselves,” says Eva Eisler.

The objects in the exhibition look like scaled-down prehistoric sculptures, totems, we perceive archetypalness, prehistoric rituals, the effort to get to the roots, to go to one’s source.

“Each of us pulls a bag of absolutely everything, and only in connection with an unexpected situation or some internal contradiction, we pull out things that we didn’t know we had in us,” says Eva Eisler, who this time chose broken stone as the material for her work and wood scraps.

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The objects in the gallery resemble prehistoric menhirs…

I love the great thinker Isaac Newton’s quote that truth can only be found in simplicity, not in abundance and chaos.

Every artist who begins a new work begins by sketching on paper. I “sketched” directly in the material, in that matter, and waited where it would take me. And she believed it would happen. Because I aim for simplicity, for unequivocal expression. I was unsure and looking for the last piece of the puzzle that would fit into all of this. This was finally achieved.

In the last part of the exhibition, you will see five stones that symbolize the five basic elements. This is the past, the building blocks we know. On the wall they are complemented by drawings with an imprecise line, it is a drop of paint that finds its own way, it shows the unpredictability of the future.

Megalithic buildings, that’s architecture, one of your fields.

Yes, I’m having a lot of fun with it and I’m curious if anyone can figure out how it all turned out. I’m fascinated by the civilizations we’ve started to “build” on, and the mystery is who will build on what’s left behind. The Sketches cycle is actually a metaphor for a vision of the future.

Why are you exhibiting in the Kvalitář gallery? Do you have an inner connection to her, a connection?

When I returned to the Czech Republic from New York, I planned to open a gallery that would combine architecture, design and free art. But I started teaching, devoted myself to my own work, and realized that I would not be able to handle gallery work in time.

I am a fan of the Kvalitář gallery, they work with a similar concept, I have participated in a number of exhibitions with them since the beginning.

You invited a special guest to the exhibition, why?

I got the opportunity to use the entire gallery, so I considered inviting someone and decided on Jiří Příhoda (editor’s note: the artist is engaged in monumental sculpture). Jiří came up with the idea of ​​presenting his photos from the 80s for the very first time, considering what I am planning. At that time, he dealt with interventions in the forest environment in the Highlands, which he perceived as his secret sculpture park. I think it goes well with the whole installation.

The phrase “layers of time” can also be seen as an effort to throw away what was and get to yourself…

Yes, man is layered like an onion. Those layers protect him. Few people set out to find out who they really are. Everyone should do this, meet themselves. And have the courage to ask. Not only himself, but also others who hold up a mirror to him.

Do you know why I had so many interesting personalities around me so quickly in a foreign country? Because I ask provocative questions. I ask people what they are afraid to ask themselves. It is a challenge. Honestly, everyone likes to be listened to and talk about themselves.

You led the KOV studio at UMPRUM for 16 years. That’s almost one generation of students. Is it possible to objectively assess what they were then and what they are today?

I would say that students are much more demanding today. They are interested in what the school will offer them, they have higher requirements for teachers. And that’s actually good. A teacher opens the way for them throughout their life and it is important that they are able to interest the young generation. The way he gives them challenging but interesting tasks, the way he’s tough and they know it’s for their own good and that he cares about mutual respect.

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As a teacher, I tried to set an example. The students saw that I am doing other projects, I manage to go abroad, I have my own exhibitions, I give them opportunities to exhibit in foreign galleries, at fairs.

I wanted them to reflect on their own work, not only in the school environment. So that they have a clearer path to self-discovery and leave school with the feeling that they know where they are going and know how to take care of themselves.

Whether they will be successful in life depends only on them. He must find discipline, consistency in himself. At school, they are supported in their work, every step is expertly consulted, the teacher motivates them, makes them move significantly. But I won’t worry about them, that’s not my role anymore.

I like that you connect disciplines: architecture, design, liberal arts. It certainly enriches you, there is no danger of creative burnout…

Yes, I really like it. But do you know that I have been accused several times, how can I even afford to move across disciplines? An acquaintance of mine, an economist from New York, used to tell me: “Evo, you just have to focus on one thing. And I answered. Do not have to!”

For me, it has an internal logic that everything influences and connects. I feel the same way in my life. I like connecting people. When I left the Czech Republic for New York in 1983, my wish was that I would have a long table where people from all over the world, from all kinds of fields would sit and share their stories with each other. And that really happened.

And a creative crisis? The first time I was scared, I was injected for about a fortnight. But today I know that I restart again, nothing happens, I just need to lighten the system, slow it down.

Your jewelry bears a clear, minimalist signature…

I didn’t know jewelry techniques. So I looked at bridge structures, scaffolding systems and looked for a way to hold the small object together. And she started using springs, rods, cables. That was the 70s and 80s.

I created for myself, I didn’t look around. In America, I met the needs and tastes of people from the art industry who did not have a piece of jewelry that would represent their world view.

I started working with galleries where art collectors, architects, designers, museum directors, such as the architect Zaha Hadid, Billie Tsien or Massimo and Lella Vignelli, bought. A big collector is Nancy Olnick, who has a museum of Italian Arte Povera and the largest collection of Carlo Scarpa. Thanks to the jewelry, which I always exhibited together with sculptures and drawings, strong friendships were formed.

Do you perceive jewelry on clothing as a detail or a dominant element?

My motto is: “Jewelry is an intimate architecture for the landscape of the human body.” When creating a new collection, I imagine the horizon, perceive the space, perceive how the wearable object harmonizes with the environment.

However, it must not prevail over man, but be in harmony with him.

On one side is intuition, on the other is reason. What is stronger for you, predominates?

I think I have it in balance, the right balance. My father was a mathematician, a scientist, a rational person and my mother a creative artist.

I inherited from two sides and used these abilities. I have order in me, but it always had to submit to feeling, intuition and creative freedom.

I was the third child, I had free time, I also couldn’t study at that time. Inner freedom goes with me all my life. So I got used to it, that I wouldn’t be able to submit to any system. Even my jewelry in the 60s was a provocation against uniformity.

Eva Eisler

Relationships give and take energy. Healthy moves us, we are creative. Which is important for artists. Do you feel the same way?

Right now I’m collaborating on a book that has a working title of Relationships, it’s about my work. Of course, we all “deal” with relationships all our lives. We know that trust, mutual respect, and a balanced distribution of interests and strengths work in a healthy environment.

I often say it should be a subject taught from first grade. It would educate the relationship to oneself, to parents, to society, to nature.

But you know what else is important? Don’t be preconceived and have no expectations. This leads to unnecessary disappointment.

You are definitely a born optimist…

I never regret anything, why? It can’t be changed anymore. And I don’t really plan anything. I like playing with my own life, when you don’t know in advance what will happen, who you will meet, what will inspire you to a new point of view, and you are curious how you will deal with it.

What qualities do you value in yourself?

I am flexible, I improvise all my life. I try to maintain perspective, I worship freedom and respect it in others. I eliminate what is unimportant.

Do you like challenges? What is the biggest you have received…

There were countless of them. I love challenges, I love being given tasks that I’ve never done before. I will learn a lot from them. When I screw them up, I say to myself, “It’s okay, I’ll do better next time.”

This exhibition was a big challenge. I uncovered another shell in me. I had to find courage, overcome insecurities and come out with something that is different. There were many people at the opening. They told me: “We expected stainless steel…”

But it’s still me discovering myself. And again, at the end of our conversation, I would very much like to remind Isaac Newton’s idea: “Truth is to be found in simplicity, not in the multiplicity and confusion of things.”

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