Wales 17 1953

Robert Frank made this photographic contact sheet, Wales 17, using traditional darkroom processes. Isn't it interesting how he’s laid out three strips of 35mm film, all slightly askew, and then scrawled ‘17’ over the top? To me, that number feels like a nod to process. The film itself is fascinating; a sequence of images showing a formal gathering, perhaps a public meeting. Frank’s focus isn’t just on the subjects but also on the materiality of the medium – the grain, the contrast, the imperfections. I find that so engaging. The red marker makes you think about the editing process, the choices involved in creating a final image, and how those choices alter our perception. Look at the last strip, there’s a red box drawn around a frame. That little rectangle changes everything. Frank’s work here reminds me of the way Gerhard Richter painted from found photographs, embracing accident and chance as integral parts of the artistic process. It's all a conversation, isn't it?