Congressional S c. 1954 - 1955

Curator: This is Robert Frank's "Congressional S," a gelatin silver print made between 1954 and 1955. Editor: The first thing I notice is its cinematic quality—it looks like a storyboard for a movie scene, all noir shadows and waiting. There's a beautiful stillness about it. Curator: Absolutely, Frank's genius lay in capturing fleeting moments. These contact sheets reveal the editing process, those 'X' marks highlight images he probably chose to print, allowing us to look into his process and choices in selecting the strongest imagery from a broader whole. Editor: It feels so intimate, seeing the selection process laid bare. It also feels democratic, this slice-of-life montage from 50s America that’s not romanticized, not posed. More gritty reality. Curator: Frank aimed for that rawness. This was shot during a road trip he undertook across the United States, seeking to portray the everyday lives of ordinary people. This method resulted in powerful, and sometimes challenging, social commentary on the time period. Editor: I love how the sequential imagery creates a narrative. I want to piece it all together into a moving experience. And those stark tonal shifts! I would venture to say he isn't only trying to share their world but the in-between of movement through that world, and its various emotional environments as well. Curator: Exactly! Frank didn't want perfection. He wanted feeling. And "Congressional S", with its inherent imperfections and documentary quality, presents one such avenue into a larger American narrative. Editor: Knowing a bit of his method, it makes one think: which images *did* he ultimately pick from this frame, and why? So much potential to read into. What does the 'S' refer to, as well? There is just a general sense of visual mystery and depth to ponder... Curator: These photographs, even in their unselected state, have an artistic richness. Seeing them as a larger part of the film also highlights just how selective Frank's process ultimately was. Editor: Right. It shows the intense work behind perceived spontaneity. I can sense the story beneath.