Back of monitor, CBS TV studio--Burbank, California 1956

Editor: Here we have Robert Frank's gelatin silver print, "Back of monitor, CBS TV studio--Burbank, California," created in 1956. The composition is quite stark, featuring the rear of what appears to be television equipment. It makes me think about the labor and materials used for image making behind the scenes. What's your take on this? Curator: It’s fascinating how Frank directs our attention to the usually unseen infrastructure. Think about the materials themselves: gelatin silver, the camera, the monitor. These are the physical manifestations of an industry dedicated to image production and dissemination. What is it saying about labor relations and the consumption of media? Editor: That’s a great point. I hadn’t considered the implications of focusing on the "back" of the monitor as a rejection of the spectacle itself, focusing instead on production rather than consumption. What does the mundane context suggest, its labour ? Curator: Exactly! This isn't about the polished final product. By showing us the means of production – the cables, the equipment, and even that jar – Frank critiques the artifice inherent in television. Are we celebrating labor here, or underlining alienation from it? Editor: I see, he's revealing the gritty underbelly of this image-making machine. It makes you wonder about the lives of the technicians and workers behind these shows. It shifts my understanding completely. Curator: Precisely. Frank challenges our consumption habits by highlighting the complex relationship between labor, materiality, and the seemingly effortless images we consume. What seems magical requires effort. Editor: It’s like he's demystifying the allure of television by revealing its material conditions. I will be considering the socio-economic context within artwork, and production processes that inform this meaning! Curator: Indeed. Thinking about what makes an artwork valuable, this image certainly highlights not just the artist’s skill but also the often-invisible labor involved in producing culture itself. A good example of how shifting our perspectives on making enriches experience.