Guggenheim 512--Daughters of the American Revolution convention, Los Angeles 1956

This is a contact sheet by Robert Frank, capturing the Daughters of the American Revolution convention in Los Angeles. The images are produced using photographic film, a technology that democratized image-making through its reproducibility. The contact sheet is raw, presenting the photographer’s selections. The red circles, likely drawn by Frank, indicate the images he found most compelling. The choice of images seems casual, yet it reveals Frank’s documentary process, and his critical perspective on American society. Frank's decision to use photography as his medium of choice reflects a shift away from traditional art materials and processes. By employing this medium, Frank could engage with mass culture, labor, and politics. The images, captured spontaneously, carry a social weight. This contact sheet blurs the line between photojournalism and art photography, inviting us to reconsider the values and assumptions that define the American experience. It's a reminder that materials and methods carry cultural and social significance.