Guggenheim 344--Esso oil refinery, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 1955

Robert Frank's photograph, "Guggenheim 344 - Esso Oil Refinery, Baton Rouge, Louisiana" is a strip of negatives, capturing the inside and outside of the refinery. Looking at it, I feel the artist’s presence, the movement of his hands, and his attempt to frame reality. I think of Robert Frank walking around the factory. What was he looking for? What interested him? Each image in the strip is a little window, some into large groups and others of small groups, with the workers framed against industrial equipment and architecture. His black and white tones and the film grain create a grainy atmosphere that is heavy and somber. The contrast between the bright highlights and the dark shadows emphasizes the industrial feel and brings out the texture of the environment and the clothing. Robert Frank was part of the conversation of artists trying to capture a moment and what it felt like to be alive in it. His work continues to ask what it means to see.