Carnival--Basel no number 1952

Robert Frank made this photographic contact sheet, Carnival--Basel no number, using a small camera, capturing moments that might otherwise be overlooked. Look at the way Frank has laid out the strips of film, each frame offering a glimpse into a fleeting moment. Imagine him in the darkroom, the red light casting shadows as he coaxes these images into being. What was he thinking as he captured these scenes? Were they moments of joy, reflection, or something in between? There’s a rawness to the images—a sense of immediacy—that reminds me of some of my favorite painters. I'm thinking of Cy Twombly's scribbled lines and fragmented forms. Maybe the image surrounded by a red frame is a special moment. The materiality of the film itself—the grain, the scratches—adds another layer of depth. It's a reminder that art is not just about what is depicted, but about the process, the materials, and the artist's hand. These artists remind us that art is an ongoing conversation, a dialogue across time, that invites us to see the world in new and unexpected ways.