Guggenheim 534/Americans 20--Bunker Hill, Los Angeles c. 1955 - 1956

Robert Frank made "Guggenheim 534/Americans 20--Bunker Hill, Los Angeles" without a set date, using photography to explore a sense of place. The images are like notes, taken at different exposures, with variations in tone and depth of field. The raw, almost brutal quality of the photography is what really grabs me. Look at the high contrast and grainy texture. It's like he's scraping away at the surface to reveal something hidden beneath. This aesthetic reminds me of the ethos of someone like Diane Arbus, in that it is very much about seeing what's there. Take a look at the sequence of images on the contact sheet. Each frame feels like a fleeting glimpse, a moment caught on the run. The image is full of life and movement but also has a haunting sense of impermanence. Like Frank, we're all just passing through.