Concert story for "New York Times" 3 1965

Editor: Here we have Robert Frank’s photographic artwork “Concert story for 'New York Times' 3” created in 1965. The print is composed of strips of negatives showing various crowds, concerts, and portraits. The format feels very immediate and raw to me. What are your thoughts on how this relates to Frank's place in art history? Curator: Well, seeing the photograph presented as a film strip reveals the context in which it was made. It shows Frank's approach to photojournalism. Do you see any dominant themes appearing? Editor: I notice lots of people and I get the impression of them as individuals but they’re all captured in this collective space. Almost like…observers or participants of a spectacle? Curator: Exactly. And considering Frank's focus on subcultures and those often overlooked, how might these images reflect social tensions or cultural shifts happening at the time? Editor: I can definitely sense a push and pull there. There is intimacy with portraiture, but the rows feel institutional somehow? It's a paradox. Curator: Yes! This piece pushes against established conventions. Before this era, photos were for propaganda but Frank helped turn it into raw cultural moments that were politically suggestive. I think he captures real moments that give life to modern photography as a form. Editor: So this almost casual, on-the-street feeling of these photos becomes something profound when it is put into conversation with other works from the same era. Thank you, this has been very helpful! Curator: You’re welcome, I too feel that these layered narratives make the photograph far more compelling than its immediate aesthetic qualities.