top of page

Shaping Ideas Blog

ree

Martin Eichinger's From the Heart is one of his most iconic sculptures—and a key piece for collectors. It shares its name with his hardcover art book and reflects the core of his creative philosophy: to make art that comes from the heart.


"My mission is to have my artwork come from my heart." – Martin Eichinger

Created after The Only Way Out Is Through, which addressed emotional resilience in women, this sculpture shifts focus to a man's inner life. But instead of pushing through difficulty, the male figure in From the Heart rises above it. His body leans back, open, trusting, connected to an abstract, wave-like base.


Martin described this figure as one who "isn't bracing for impact... he's letting go."


From a collector's standpoint, this work is notable for what it represents. Martin has said this sculpture captures the mission behind his entire career. That kind of personal statement is rare—and adds real significance to its place in any collection.


The symbolism is deliberate. One hand reaches outward, the other touches the heart—the highest point of the sculpture. Nudity is handled with restraint, keeping attention on emotion rather than anatomy. "It needed to be about something higher," Martin said.


The piece also came with technical challenges. Sculpting the upside-down head required careful proportion work. The pose itself evolved over time, and at one point, Martin even adjusted the body angle mid-process to better fit the composition.


The base blends elements of wave, landscape, and architecture. It represents uncertainty, but the figure doesn’t resist it—he rises with it.


"A lot of the details emerged during the making. I started with a strong structure and let it evolve," Martin shared.

What makes From the Heart truly collectible isn’t just its design—it’s the honesty behind it. The scale, presence, and personal meaning all contribute to its significance.


This month only, From the Heart is available at 40% off as part of the Eichinger Sculpture Studio's Collector Series. Purchases include:



See it in person at Art at The Geode, 2516 SE Division St, Portland, Oregon.


This is more than a sculpture. It's a signature moment in Martin Eichinger's journey—a piece created not for the market, but from the heart.

 
 

From the moment you see it, Off Kilter commands attention. Cast in bronze, standing 38 inches high, 17 inches wide, and 12 inches deep, the sculpture captures a sharply dressed man balanced precariously on one foot atop a pedestal. His body twists away, jacket caught in an unseen gust, legs and torso working to steady themselves. The pose is elegant, but also uneasy—an image caught between control and collapse.


At first glance, the figure might be mistaken for an acrobat mid-performance. But in reality, he is a businessman—polished, composed on the surface, yet in danger of losing his footing.


Part of the Postmodern Series


Off Kilter belongs to Martin Eichinger’s Postmodern Series, a body of work exploring the kinesthetics of movement—especially the challenge of conveying dynamism in static form. In this series, Eichinger places figures atop geometric posts—square, triangle, pentagon, hexagon—each base subtly reflecting the posture and meaning of the figure above.


By elevating the figure, the post becomes both a stage and a metaphor, heightening the sense of balance, control, and vulnerability. While some might see the posts as purely formal devices, Eichinger invites viewers to consider their symbolic potential—playful yet critical of postmodern aesthetics, with a depth that ventures far beyond pastiche.


A Symbol for Our Time


In Off Kilter, Eichinger delivers more than a technical feat in bronze; he offers a layered commentary on the fragility of modern systems built on unchecked ambition and ego. The businessman becomes a stand-in for institutions—and for men—that appear solid but are vulnerable to tipping.


“This piece is about the struggle for men to stay upright when the world’s shifting beneath us—when responsibility is needed most, and balance feels furthest away,” Eichinger explains.


For Eichinger, the backward lean isn’t just about instability—it’s about retreat. Too often, he observes, men lean away from responsibility when the world demands more accountability, awareness, and action.



From Vision to Bronze


Creating Off Kilter required both artistry and engineering. The dynamic lean and twisting posture had to feel authentic in a medium that’s anything but flexible. Eichinger sculpted the entire form without a live model—no one could sustain such a position—relying instead on decades of anatomical study and intuition. Achieving the fluid motion of the jacket, suspended in bronze, required careful planning to suggest movement while preserving balance.


For the Collector


Off Kilter is a limited edition sculpture, making it an even more significant acquisition for serious collectors. It is both a statement piece and a conversation starter—a prompt for reflection on balance, responsibility, and resilience. Displayed in a home, gallery, or office, it invites the question: What forces are pushing against you—and how will you respond?



Available Through August 31


Originally $9,700, Off Kilter is available to our collector community for $6,790 through the end of August. Use code KILTER at checkout to secure this striking piece while supplies last.



 
 

A New Perspective: Life's First Spark


For a long time, our focus has been on the vast, beautiful emptiness of outer space. We've created pieces that explore galaxies, nebulae, and the grand scale of the universe. But this new piece turns that perspective inward and downward, focusing on the very beginning of life itself.


As Marty described it, "I've got a little bit of an amoeba thing going on." The inspiration is that first, miraculous spark—the simple, organic form that holds all the potential of what's to come. It’s a journey from the infinitely large to the fundamentally small.


The process continues. Time to bring the "amoeba" piece to life.

The Vision: Charting Life in Color


To bring this concept to life, the plan is to use a vibrant, living color palette. The piece will be built around a core of rich green, symbolizing nascent life. From there, the colors will flow outwards into blues, purples, and oranges, creating a dynamic spectrum.


The Process: A Foundation for Creation


Every great piece begins with a solid plan. Before any color is introduced, the first step is to apply a clear coat to the entire base.


This isn't just a preparatory step; it's a crucial technique to control the medium.


This clear layer acts as a barrier, ensuring that when the colored resin is poured, it "isn't as quick to flow from one section to another." This allows for more deliberate placement and prevents the vibrant colors from bleeding into a muddy mess. It’s a testament to the idea that creativity requires both vision and control.


And Now, We Wait


The active part of the creation is complete, but the piece is not yet finished. The most fascinating stage happens now, without a human hand to guide it.


Overnight, as the resin begins to cure and cool, it will continue to live. The different densities and colors will subtly move and shift, flowing into one another to create patterns that are beautifully unpredictable. In a way, the artwork mimics its subject—adjusting, changing, and finding its final form.



 
 
eichinger-logo-white-on-black.png
CONNECT WITH US

Eichinger Sculpture Studio

2516 SE Division St. - Portland, OR 97202   Tel:  503-223-0626

studio@eichingersculpture.com
Returns Policy

Subscribe to our newsletter • Receive collector-only discounts, new work previews, and behind-the-scenes stories

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
bottom of page