Wales 1953

Robert Frank's photograph, "Wales," captures two figures in what looks like the aftermath of a coal mine. The grayscale is rich; it’s more than black and white, it’s a study in gradients of gray. I wonder, what was it like to stand there with his camera? The texture of the grime on their faces, the lines etched by life and labor—it's all so palpable. Look at the scarf knotted around the neck of the man in the foreground; it’s a small gesture of care against a backdrop of hardship. The cap, too, is pulled low, shading his eyes, and the overall effect is that of an attempt to find privacy within the public gaze. Frank, like many of us painters, was interested in the everyday, the grit of life that often goes unseen. He shares with artists like the Bechers, or Judith Joy Ross, a way of looking, but what feels specific here is the intensity of his gaze. It’s intimate, like a conversation.