Guggenheim 382--New Mexico 1955

This is a photographic contact sheet from Robert Frank, titled Guggenheim 382--New Mexico. I’m thinking about him on the road with his camera, winding through New Mexico. There are lots of frames here, little windows into his journey. Roads stretch out, skies loom, and sometimes you catch a glimpse of people. I feel like he's chasing something, trying to pin down a feeling or a moment. It reminds me of the way I layer paint, searching for the right combination that clicks into place. The light and shadow play off each other in the photos, just like colors do in a painting. They create a mood that's both stark and beautiful. You can almost feel the dust and the vastness of the landscape. I think he's whispering something about America, about loneliness, about seeing. Maybe that makes him a poet of the road. He's definitely a kindred spirit.