The Facts
On September 16, 2026, Sadie Coles HQ announced the installation of Nicole Eisenman's monumental sculpture 'Stack' in the courtyard of the Royal Academy of Arts in London. The work, standing over eight meters tall, opens to the public on September 22, 2026, and remains on view through February 5, 2027. Composed of five stacked forms, the sculpture functions as an abstracted self-portrait, featuring a Birkenstock-wearing artist figure supporting a wine barrel, a potato, the artist's cat Edie, and a seated figure of the late Royal Academician Phyllida Barlow (1944–2023). Each component is fabricated through distinct processes: the artist and cat are cast in bronze with different patinas, Barlow is rendered in aluminum, and the wine barrel is made from oak.
The Signal
The installation marks a significant public commission for Eisenman, whose sculptural practice has expanded rapidly in scale and ambition. By incorporating a tribute to Barlow—a mentor and fellow sculptor—Eisenman situates her work within a lineage of Royal Academy artists and contemporary British sculpture. For collectors, the piece underscores Eisenman's growing institutional presence and her ability to command large-scale outdoor venues, a signal of sustained market demand for her multidisciplinary output. The Royal Academy's courtyard program continues to position itself as a platform for major contemporary sculptural statements.
- Artists: Nicole Eisenman, Phyllida Barlow
- People: Nicole Eisenman, Phyllida Barlow
- Galleries: Sadie Coles HQ
- Museums: Royal Academy of Arts
- Locations: London
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