Slot machines--Reno or Elko, Nevada 1956

Robert Frank captured this image of slot machines, likely in Reno or Elko, Nevada, sometime during his career. It's like a quick sketch in monochrome, capturing a slice of American life with a raw, unfiltered lens. What strikes me is how Frank treats his subject matter. There's a density to the blacks and a starkness to the whites, almost as if the whole scene is reduced to its most essential elements. Look at the faces of the people playing the slots, caught between hope and resignation. The texture of the machines themselves, worn smooth by countless hands, speaks volumes about repetition, chance and the relentless pursuit of fortune. Frank's image feels like a precursor to the work of artists like Nan Goldin, who also documented the gritty realities of life with unflinching honesty. Like all great art, this photograph asks more questions than it answers.