Car accident—U.S. 66 between Winslow and Flagstaff, Arizona 1955

Robert Frank’s gelatin silver print, “Car accident—U.S. 66 between Winslow and Flagstaff, Arizona,” captures a roadside scene with stark realism. The photographic process itself is crucial here. Frank employed a handheld 35mm camera, a tool that democratized image-making. This contrasted with the static, posed subjects of traditional photography and allowed him to document life as it unfolded. The grainy texture and high contrast, inherent to the black and white film, lends an immediacy to the scene. The image shows a group of onlookers, a police car, and a body covered with a tarpaulin. The photograph speaks volumes about American society, mobility, and mortality during the post-war era. The rise of car culture and the open road promised freedom, yet also brought danger. Frank’s photograph captures this tension, revealing the human cost of progress and consumption. This photograph is a reminder that even seemingly simple materials and processes can carry profound social and cultural significance. It challenges the idea of art as something precious and separate from everyday life.