On the Boat to the USA 1947

Robert Frank made this photograph, *On the Boat to the USA*, sometime during his journey to America. It's small, but it gives us this huge sensation of movement. The high contrast of the black and white emphasizes the churning water. Can you feel the sea spray? I can imagine Frank peering out with anticipation, like, what's next? What’s America going to be like? The figure, seen from behind, merges with the vastness, creating a sense of vulnerability. It reminds me of Gerhard Richter's blurry photos, and all those landscape painters who tried to capture the sublime—the feeling of being overwhelmed by nature. Maybe Frank felt that too. Photographers are always looking at each other's pictures; it’s an ongoing conversation. What Frank did here, he probably saw someone else do, and then someone else saw him. It's a way we all learn and find our own voice. There is something so special about that kind of exchange.