Peru 1948

Robert Frank’s photograph, Peru, captures a group of people outside a rural building in a straightforward, documentary style. What I love about it is how the monochrome palette throws everything into relief. The light bounces off the white walls of the building, highlighting the roughness of the material. Look how the figures gather; some wrapped in heavy blankets, others in suits and hats. They stand as if posing, but also as if caught unawares. It gives the image an arresting double quality. Frank’s work here reminds me a little of Walker Evans, another photographer who approached the medium with an interest in vernacular architecture and the everyday lives of ordinary people. Both artists share an interest in capturing the poetry of the quotidian. In the end, it's this mix of observation and storytelling that makes the photograph so compelling. It’s like Frank is saying, "Here’s a moment, full of questions, full of life."