Funeral procession--San Francisco 1956

Robert Frank made this gelatin silver print, Funeral procession--San Francisco, on a sheet about 25 by 20 cm. It’s a picture that is very much about process. In this photograph, the choice of grainy, high-contrast black and white film creates an image that feels raw and immediate, emphasizing the stark realities of the scene. The composition, with its steep perspective and receding lines of the street, draws our eye to the tiny trolley car at the top of the hill. The men, holding what looks like a ribbon, are caught in mid-stride. If you study their faces, you can see how he’s managed to capture the nuances of each expression, a mix of grief, solemnity, and everyday humanity. Frank's work feels aligned with artists like Daido Moriyama, who captured similarly candid and unpolished moments of urban life. It's a reminder that art doesn't always need to be polished or perfect; sometimes, the most powerful statements come from embracing the grit and ambiguity of the world around us.