Guggenheim 403--Las Vegas, Nevada 1955

This is Robert Frank's "Guggenheim 403--Las Vegas, Nevada," a photo strip, the medium being the message. It's all about process. I love seeing the evidence of the artist at work, the contact sheet, the editing process, the trying out of different arrangements. The blacks are so rich and velvety in this print, like ink, and the tonal range feels very intimate. In that frame circled in red, what’s being circled exactly? Why? Is it the gesture of the circle that matters more than the content within? It’s a detail that asks more questions than it answers. Frank reminds me a little bit of Garry Winogrand, another street photographer with a knack for capturing the chaotic beauty of everyday life. Ultimately, art is about embracing uncertainty, and the beauty of this piece lies in its open-endedness. There is not a right answer.