Central Park South 1948

This photograph, Central Park South, was taken by Robert Frank sometime in the mid-20th century. It's a masterclass in seeing, and it all starts with light. The image pulls you in, doesn't it? The puddle reflects the city back at itself. Frank isn't just showing us a street scene; he's showing us how a city sees itself, distorted but recognizable. Notice how the reflections in the puddle warp the buildings, turning steel and glass into something fluid and alive. The composition, with the car fender looming in the foreground, adds this immediate sense of the everyday. Frank always reminded me a bit of Walker Evans, another trickster with a camera. Both these guys knew how to find the weird poetry in the mundane, turning the ordinary into something unforgettable. And, like all great art, it leaves you with more questions than answers. Isn't that the best kind?