Colorless glass; mold-blown and enameled. Large hollow head painted in yellow, green, red, white and blue. Large unpainted area on top of head.

Eisch uses color to represent psychological complexity and depth. Colorless glass, on the other hand, is used to represent blankness, an absence of emotion, conformity. In Self-Portrait from the Outside, Eisch gives us his impression of how he is seen by society. His features are unclouded and straightforward. He brands himself as a creative person, perhaps, with a small gilt figure on his forehead, but otherwise, his head is colorless. Contrast this portrait with the vivid self-portrait that is covered in yellow enamel and the whimsical figures commonly found in Eisch’s painting. This is the opposite of the person seen “from the outside.” This is a personal portrait “from the inside,” revealing Eisch as he truly is, a person with many, often conflicting, thoughts and feelings. “I feel a kind of love–hate for the material,” Eisch says. “With the help of glass, I want to express my innermost feelings and let my silent conflicts become visible. I also want to influence the viewers and try to start some kind of dialogue with them.”