7th Avenue--New York City 2 c. early 1950s

Editor: This is "7th Avenue—New York City 2" by Robert Frank, from around the early 1950s, a gelatin silver print showing a contact sheet from a roll of 35mm film. There is an almost melancholic feel to this strip of moments. How do you interpret this work? Curator: It's interesting to consider this through the lens of urban symbolism. Notice the layering – the advertisements, the clothes hanging for sale on the streets, the anonymous figures. Each carries its own symbolic weight reflecting post-war American aspirations and anxieties. It feels so candid, yet controlled. The high contrast emphasizes that even everyday scenes carry their drama and complexities. How do those Optimo cigar ads strike you in terms of aspirational imagery of the time? Editor: Well, they certainly project an image of success, maybe even excess, that perhaps feels out of reach for most of the people on the street. So many layers and details create a kind of cacophony. Is Frank commenting on consumer culture? Curator: It could be that. Or maybe Frank uses this, like other documentary photographers, to capture an ephemeral cultural mood. He draws on many existing visual references or traditions, distilling the visual field, and creates a new narrative. He transforms ordinary subjects into powerful social signifiers. Street photography allows for that – a glimpse into the zeitgeist through very humble and humane interactions and spaces. Editor: That makes a lot of sense. I initially saw it as a sad photograph, but seeing it as a tapestry of symbols, capturing a specific moment in time and history gives it so much more depth. Curator: Absolutely. It reminds us how photographs carry collective memories. Next time you are out in the street, look for layers – the signage, posters and cultural information. Look at their interplay – these become symbols.