Times Square--New York City 4 c. 1961

Robert Frank captured Times Square in New York City in this gelatin silver print. It's almost like a storyboard, or a series of sketches, laid out in strips. You can see the city's architecture, crowds moving, and the textures of urban life. What strikes me is the grainy quality, it's not trying to be smooth or polished. The composition isn't perfect; it's got a raw, almost impulsive energy. The image quality itself contributes to the emotion here. He lets the film grain be present, allowing the image to have texture, like you can almost feel the grit of the city. In some ways, it reminds me of someone like Garry Winogrand, who just walked around and snapped what he saw. It's like Frank is saying, “Here’s a slice of life, take it or leave it.” To me, it's a reminder that art doesn't always have to be neat, tidy, or even “finished.” Sometimes, the most powerful stuff is the stuff that's a little rough around the edges.