CBS television crew, convention hall--Chicago 1956

Editor: Here we have Robert Frank's gelatin silver print, "CBS television crew, convention hall—Chicago," taken in 1956. There’s almost a frenetic energy in the image with that lady slightly out of focus and the cameras thrust into the foreground, hinting at this pivotal moment in television news. What's your take on this slice of history? Curator: Oh, you’re right; there’s a chaotic symphony in it, isn't there? For me, Frank isn’t just documenting; he’s offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse, not of the politician, but of the machine that delivers the image of the politician. Look at that cumbersome camera; it’s almost comical compared to today's tech! What does that clunky machine whisper to you? Does it feel like the dawn of something or the end of an era, perhaps? Editor: I'm getting the feeling that maybe it’s the end of just seeing people in real life, rather than on screen. Like, the screen is starting to become our reality. Curator: Exactly! And Frank, with his intuitive eye, saw it unfolding. That blurring…it's like life itself, right? Sharply focused for some, a total blur for others, and all mediated by the ever-watchful, ever-present camera. It’s as if he’s saying, “Beware the promises being broadcast, for reality might just be slipping out of focus.” What's so great here is his own reality. I bet the scene felt completely different through Frank’s own two eyes at that moment! Editor: That’s really made me think about the power dynamics in the photo, like who is really being observed and for what. I missed that the first time. Curator: Me too. Each glance reveals something new. Isn't it fabulous?