Storefront--Tennessee or Arkansas 1955

Curator: Robert Frank's photograph, "Storefront--Tennessee or Arkansas," taken in 1955, is a gelatin silver print. The seemingly simple image captures a storefront, hinting at the culture and commerce of its location. Editor: It hits me as kind of ghostly, almost a blurred memory. The layers of posters and window reflections create this feeling of transience, but with these remnants of human presence barely visible in its materiality, what stands out for you? Curator: What intrigues me is the layered nature of this image. Look at the layering of the advertisements. 'Whiskey, Gin & Wine' competes for space with posters for the 'Rabbit Foot Minstrels', an African-American vaudeville troupe that was popular at the time. It's such an honest and powerful capture of a specific time and place, isn’t it? What can you tell us about the means used? Editor: Indeed! This particular composition shows the power of materials in producing meaning. The contrast between the clear advertisement of alcoholic beverages and the obscured, yet evident, promotion of the minstrel show is striking. There's an economy, an intersection, between leisure, vice, entertainment, and, of course, labor, being marketed together within the visual economy of the storefront. I'm curious about this material relationship and what this can say about the American condition at the time. Curator: Absolutely. The use of gelatin silver print gives the image a particular graininess that lends to that sense of authenticity, but beyond aesthetic, how do these components of Frank's composition—the storefront itself, the posters, the sunlight—speak to broader socio-political currents? Editor: Thinking intersectionally, the storefront becomes a microcosm reflecting deep divisions of race, class, and the exploitation inherent in entertainment forms of that time. By capturing this reality through his lens, Frank presents an honest, unflinching glimpse into America's complex identity in this shot, one that doesn't shy away from these layered meanings or harsh realities of cultural and historical forces at play. Curator: A stark reflection achieved through such seemingly simple means, which also challenges traditional notions of high art by focusing on these aspects of daily life. It truly makes you appreciate how Frank managed to bring forward complex social narratives by way of simply presenting raw subject matter. Editor: Yes, definitely! Frank's photographs push us to look beyond the surface. Thanks for highlighting it.