Hollywood 29 1958

Robert Frank made this intriguing contact sheet, "Hollywood 29," using gelatin silver print, it’s a peek into his photographic process. It’s all about the marks: the intense, dark blacks of the film strips against the brighter, greyish images. The photographs themselves show people, but they’re also layered with Frank’s edits, with the bold red and blue marker circling different sections. These aren't just photographs; they're records of looking and deciding. The marks feel spontaneous, like quick thoughts made visible, and in a way that's what art should be! Look at the frames outlined in red. What drew Frank’s attention there? The process is a story of its own, one of selection and maybe even rejection, which is just as much part of the art as the final print. Like John Baldessari said, sometimes the most interesting thing is what you leave out.