Convention hall—Chicago 1956

Curator: Robert Frank’s 1956 print, “Convention hall—Chicago,” gives us a glimpse into an American political gathering during the mid-20th century. Editor: The first thing that strikes me is the somewhat solemn mood. Despite being at a convention, the men in the foreground seem quite serious, almost stoic. It's fascinating how Frank captures that sense of restrained power. Curator: It’s a brilliant example of Frank’s outsider perspective. Having immigrated to the U.S. from Switzerland, he was perhaps more attuned to the underlying tensions and social dynamics present in American society. He was exploring the theatrics within the spectacle. Editor: The image definitely projects that theatrical atmosphere, you put your finger on it. It prompts questions: what are they looking at? Why are they all lined up with almost no interpersonal engagement apparent among them? Is there some solemnity in their common purpose? There's also something about that backdrop. What could those faint letters be implying up there? Curator: Contextually, the '50s were a period of intense political and social transformation, marked by the Cold War, civil rights movements, and anxieties about national identity. Perhaps Frank sought to reflect all the anxieties and contradictions within such convention spaces. Editor: Yes. There's the five-pointed star hovering in the distance to make it all seem so dramatic. This picture seems like the star hangs ominously overhead. And given his sensibility as an immigrant outsider, I suppose that is only fitting for Frank to see the shadow side to an ostensibly bright promise in American politics. Curator: Ultimately, this photograph transcends its immediate subject matter, becoming a broader commentary on American power structures and the individual's place within them. The symbolism within the political system can sometimes fall under critique to make the machine itself. Editor: Well put. Seeing this image makes me consider the long history of how symbols of leadership have morphed over the centuries and come to play into people's perceptions of them. Thank you.