Guggenheim 607--San Francisco, Daly City, and Westlake c. 1956

This is a photographic work by Robert Frank, showing scenes from around San Francisco, Daly City, and Westlake. It's a contact sheet, meaning that it's made by laying the negative strip directly onto photographic paper and exposing it to light. Now, consider this process: the direct transfer of image, without enlargement, gives it an immediate, almost diaristic feel. The scenes themselves depict urban sprawl, cemeteries, and roadsides, all presented in a straightforward, unglamorous manner. The high contrast, a common result of the developing process, lends the images a stark, almost confrontational quality. Frank’s images aren’t just about what’s in front of the lens, but also the labor and industrial processes of development and mass production, the relentless march of suburbanization, and the quiet spaces we dedicate to death. It's a powerful reminder that photography, like any art form, is deeply intertwined with the social and economic forces that shape our world. Frank uses the process of photography to reveal these forces in a way that transcends traditional notions of fine art.