Die Nahrung (Food) 1-5 1942 - 1946

Robert Frank created this black and white photographic series, "Die Nahrung (Food) 1-5". It presents a vision of everyday commerce, perhaps in Europe, given that Frank was Swiss. The images portray various foods – fish, eggs, citrus – arranged for sale. There is an inherent tension in these images: the formal arrangement of the food as commodities contrasts with their raw, organic nature. As the title suggests, these are not still lifes of beautiful objects, but rather, images of sustenance, of things needed to survive. There's an economic dimension, too, of who has access to these foods and who profits from their sale. Frank’s work often touches on themes of social observation and the realities of everyday life. Consider what it means to see such basic elements of survival framed through the lens of commerce. These images invite us to reflect on our relationship with the food that nourishes us and the systems that bring it to our tables.