This woodcut is one of a series with the same or similar motif. As is often the case with Eisenman she will take a figure, trope, or type and work on it in variation or permutations over several works. 

Eisenman has proven quite adept at printmaking, in particular, woodcuts through the years. A technique she’s returned to a number of times. 

Her first major exploration of printmaking was in 2011 when she decided not to paint but only explore printmaking. This continued into 2012. The series of prints deepened the formal influences of expressionism, and art historical allusions for which she is often praised.

Friends are a common touchstone in Nicole’s work, with her circle of friends regularly appearing in paintings and drawings. As she has said, “The work is nothing if not feeling-based.”

The story of this print is quite simple, a friend of hers, Tiffany, was returning home from Iran. Eisenman chose to imagine her friend returning by riding a donkey through the Alborz mountain range in northern Iran.  

This print was produced for ICA’s annual benefit in 2015.