1943—Greetings to You All—1944 1943

Editor: This is John Marin’s etching and ink print from 1943, titled "1943—Greetings to You All—1944." The linework gives it such an ephemeral quality. What social commentary do you see in this cityscape? Curator: Given that this was created during World War II, it's difficult to separate the print from that specific sociopolitical context. Do you think the greeting feels optimistic or tinged with the anxiety of wartime? Consider, too, how the modernist style, with its fragmentation and abstraction, reflects the disrupted realities of the era. Editor: It feels like a cautious optimism, maybe even defiance, amid the chaos. It's like Marin is acknowledging the war but also actively choosing to look forward. So, the “Greetings” become an act of resilience? Curator: Precisely. Consider also the class implications of the "greetings." Who is Marin addressing, and what communities were likely excluded from such sentiments, whether by social standing or wartime circumstances? Does the print engage in a conscious or unconscious social commentary? Editor: I didn't consider the issue of in/exclusion with "you all." The architectural imagery emphasizes disparities and social inequalities, depending on your location in that landscape. Curator: Yes. This piece prompts questions about who benefits from progress, who is left behind, and who defines the narrative of that progress. Editor: I'm starting to see the art as a document of its time and a statement about Marin's social position and potential political agenda. Thank you. Curator: My pleasure. Reflecting on art through an intersectional lens gives the work a greater contemporary significance.