Martin Eichinger is an American sculptor. Deemed one of the few 'Living Masters' by the Art Renewal Center, Eichinger is known for his bronze narrative sculptures that, as he puts it, "chronicle the eternal human pursuit of meaning, happiness, and growth." Eichinger has been sculpting for over 20 years and is represented by many elite galleries across the country. He currently lives in Oregon and is an active and influential figure in the Northwestern sculpting community.
Biography
Martin Eichinger was born in Michigan in 1949. His father was a graphic artist, though Eichinger claims that his 7th grade teacher was the person that first inspired his interest in art. Eichinger began his artistic career by earning an Associate Degree at Ferris State University in commercial design in 1969. He then went on to earn a BA in Advertising at Florida State University and finally, to study sculpture at Michigan State University. After his post-graduate work at Michigan State, Eichinger pursued independent studies of classical sculpture in Europe. Since his start as a professional sculptor, Eichinger has won many prestigious awards, including First Place in Sculpture at the International Art Renewal Center Salon in 2007 and a C. Percival Dietsch Award, "Best Sculpture in the Round" from the National Sculpture Society in 2003. He has also won grants from such institutions as the Kellogg Fellowship and the National Endowment for the Arts. Eichinger is also very involved in the sculpting community. He is a member of the National Sculpture Society, a founding member of the Pacific Northwest Sculpture Association, and a founder and faculty-member at Fire and Earth Art Center, located in Portland, Oregon.
Work
Eichinger defines his work as narrative sculpture: "I am a narrative artist. The language I use is form and anatomy, but what I try to sculpt is romantic, emotional, and perhaps mythic art." Eichinger's works are typically grouped into themes. Eichinger produces sculptures in bronze. His themes explore different aspects of human life. His works are produced in series and thematically grouped: Duet, Dream, Exotic Women, Goddess, Post Modern, and Passage. In the Duet Series he examines the nature of loving, committed relationships. The Passage Series deals with transcendence, the ability and strength to move beyond difficult times. The stories depicted in each of these sculptures are more than simple narratives: they contain opinions and lead to conclusions." Eichinger chooses his themes as such because he "want sculptures to be mythological in that they speak to others who, like , are formulating new values and are looking for a new sense of meaning in art and in life." Eichinger's most significant commission in recent years was the Stations of the Cross at Cloisters on the Platte. This project included a team of sculptors who created about 90 figures averaging 7' tall. The magnitude of this commission has been compared to the Sistine Chapel. Participating sculptors included: Martin Eichinger, George Lundeen , Mark Lundeen, Bets Lundeen, Lynn Kircher , Jay Warren , Anne LaRose , Joey Bainer , Rob Arps , Dee Clements and a long list of assistants.
