Wales 3 1953

Robert Frank's "Wales 3" is a contact sheet of black and white photographs which offers insight into Frank’s process. Frank, a Swiss-American photographer, is known for his raw, documentary style. This work is likely from his travels in Wales, capturing scenes of working-class life. The men, possibly miners, walking with a weary resolve, evoke a sense of the grit and struggle inherent to their labor. There is a quiet dignity in these images that speaks to the resilience of a community facing hardship. Frank sought to capture the emotional and social landscape of a place through its people. As Frank once said, “Black and white are the colors of photography. To me they symbolize the alternatives of hope and despair to which mankind is forever subjected.” This sheet reflects the hope and despair etched on the faces of the Welsh working class.