Hollywood 62 1958

Robert Frank made this piece, Hollywood 62, in 1962, and it looks like he put it together with photographic film. The grain, contrast, and framing choices work together like brushstrokes in a painting. It’s really about the process of looking and deciding what to show us. The black and white gives it a stark feel, and each frame is like a little window into different scenes, almost like a storyboard. I'm drawn to the frame with the red outline – it pops and adds a layer of importance, directing our eye. It’s cool how he uses the film strip itself, those little sprocket holes, as part of the composition, a reminder of the medium itself. Frank seems to take cues from Walker Evans, both finding beauty and commentary in everyday scenes. With Hollywood 62, it feels like he’s not just capturing images, but also capturing a mood, a vibe, something transient and real. It embraces uncertainty and multiple stories all at once, which is what makes it so alive.