Paris 13B 1951 - 1952

Robert Frank created this contact sheet titled Paris 13B using photographic paper and film. It is part of a larger project that can be understood in relation to institutional and social settings. Frank was a Swiss photographer who traveled to America in the 1950's, a time of social upheaval and change. His work challenged conventional notions of beauty and instead captured everyday life. This contact sheet from Paris similarly reflects Frank's interest in the mundane aspects of the city. The rows of images, preserved as a sequence, allows us to grasp Frank’s working process. It raises questions about how photographers choose images and how that selection process impacts our understanding of the world around us. To better understand Frank's art, one might consult other contact sheets, his published books, or the archives of museums that have exhibited his work. Understanding the social and institutional context helps us better interpret photographs.