Paris 1956

Loren MacIver made this print, titled "Paris," using lithography to capture the essence of the city. It is an ethereal vision of Paris, eschewing grand monuments for fleeting moments. Made in the mid-20th century, MacIver’s Paris is a place of memory and feeling rather than a straightforward representation. The artist lived through a period of massive social change, during which Paris became a center for artistic innovation. Yet, she chooses to represent the city in gentle terms. The lack of firm boundaries and the hazy composition of the image could be read as a commentary on the shifting nature of modern life. MacIver's print invites us to reflect on the relationship between personal experience and the larger social and cultural context. Looking at exhibition records or MacIver’s own writings can give us a clearer picture of how the artist understood her work and its place in the broader art world.