Guggenheim 714--Casper, Wyoming 1956

Robert Frank made this contact sheet, Guggenheim 714--Casper, Wyoming, sometime during his career. It shows the filmstrip as a physical object and gives us an insight into his process of capturing images. The photographs, arranged as strips of film, include landscape and interior views, seemingly random moments captured in a raw, documentary style. Notice the textural contrast between the smooth, glossy film and the grainy, high-contrast images. In the fifth strip down, the image in the middle is upside down. This creates a disorienting effect, inviting us to question our perception. It is easy to imagine Frank on the road, capturing glimpses of America. Like the work of Walker Evans, Frank’s photography has a strong element of social commentary. Both artists use their chosen medium to highlight the everyday experiences and realities of modern life. There is no perfect image in this piece, there is simply an array of moments.