Kansas City no number 1948

Robert Frank made "Kansas City no number" with film, that much is obvious! What is less clear is the process of selection and display - what is he trying to tell us? We can see strips of images taped to a dark background. It's like looking at an artist's working notes, the bits and pieces that don't normally get shown. The effect is very material, very present. You can almost feel the stickiness of the tape, the weight of the film itself. The lower strip shows a scene with smoke or steam, each frame just a little bit different from the last, like a painting by Monet. Then there are other strips of people at tables. Frank reminds me of Helen Frankenthaler, another artist who wasn’t afraid to let process and chance be part of the final artwork. It is a conversation between the artist and the materials. And now, between the artwork and us.