Cowboys II 1954

Robert Frank created this gelatin silver print, Cowboys II, as a sequence of images. The contact sheet presents a succession of frames. The cowboys, icons of American identity, are seen here with children and signage. Frank's work often captured marginalized figures and challenged the romanticized vision of the American Dream. Made in the United States, the image reflects on the social and cultural landscape of the time. The signs with the word "NOW" evoke the Civil Rights Movement, indicating a society grappling with change and racial inequality. His photographs serve as cultural artifacts, prompting a deeper understanding of social structures. By analyzing historical documents, scholarly articles, and institutional records, we are reminded that an artwork’s meanings evolve as social contexts shift.