Cotton harvesters by side of road--Arkansas 1955

This is one of Robert Frank’s silver gelatin prints. The shades of grey in the image are so delicate, they make me think about exposure and light. I wonder what it was like for Frank to make this photograph. How did he feel when he saw these cotton harvesters by the side of the road in Arkansas? In his wider work, Frank seems to explore the gap between the American dream and the reality of everyday life for many. He invites us to look at the ways that class and race shape our experiences. In this photograph, what is most striking is how the bodies are arranged. They seem to be in conversation with one another. Their bodies are so close that we, as viewers, are not able to easily enter. There’s an interesting tension between closeness and distance. It’s a beautifully rendered image.