Peru 8 1948

"Peru 8" is an undated piece by Robert Frank, presented as a contact sheet of black and white photographs. Frank, a Swiss-American photographer and filmmaker, is renowned for his raw, immediate style, which often captured the fringes of society. This work is from a trip to Peru, and like much of Frank's photography, this piece eschews conventional beauty. Instead, it shows the stark reality of Peruvian life, highlighting industry and the arid landscape. There is a sense of isolation throughout. The repeated frames and the industrial subject matter evoke a feeling of alienation, reflecting Frank's own sense of displacement as an immigrant. Frank’s images challenge the romanticized views of travel. In his words, he sought to capture "what is seen and felt". Here, we see industry and the open road, but what we feel is the silence and the solitude of the landscape. It’s a testament to Frank’s ability to find both the beauty and the desolation in the everyday.