Embarkation--New York City II 1955

Robert Frank’s ‘Embarkation--New York City II’ gives us a peek into his process using what looks like black and white celluloid film. Look at these marks, scratches, and dust spots; the texture of the film itself becomes part of the image, embracing the accidental. The frames are like a storyboard, each one a fleeting moment, a fragmented narrative. The tonal range is superb. It's gritty, grainy, and yet each frame manages to capture a mood, a feeling. The rows of images remind me of a sketchbook, an array of related ideas and perspectives on a theme. It's not about perfection but about capturing something raw and real. This reminds me of the work of Gerhard Richter, his series of blurred gray paintings, and the way he embraces chance and imperfection. Both Frank and Richter remind us that art is not about control, but about embracing the unexpected. It's a conversation, a dialogue between the artist and the world.