Cowboys IV 1954

Robert Frank made this piece, Cowboys IV, using photography, at some point during his lifetime, though the exact date is not known. What strikes me about this photographic contact sheet is how the film strip becomes like a series of panels, reminiscent of a graphic novel, freezing moments in time. There’s an immediacy to the grainy black and white prints, revealing the artist’s process. Look closely, and you can see the individual frames, with sprockets and frame numbers still visible, giving us a glimpse into the darkroom. I am drawn to the traces of the artist’s hand: a grease pencil mark made directly onto the filmstrip. It feels as though Frank is encouraging us to question the way images are made, as well as the myth-making that surrounds the cowboy. Frank’s exploration of Americana can be likened to Walker Evans’s documentary style, yet there’s an intimacy and casualness that is very much Frank’s own. Ultimately, this work reminds us that art isn't about fixed meanings, but about opening up possibilities.