Convention 28 1956

Robert Frank produced this gelatin silver print, titled Convention 28, without a specified date. The contact sheet shows the photographer's selection process, marked with red grease pencil. Born in Switzerland, Frank brought an outsider's perspective to the American social landscape. His work questions the mythologies of postwar American prosperity, revealing undercurrents of alienation and inequality. Frank's images often capture transient moments, and everyday scenes that speak to broader social issues. In this picture, what kind of convention is this? What statements are made by its participants in their environment? The red markings highlight Frank's curatorial decisions, emphasizing certain narratives or themes within the series. A historian examining this work might consult Frank's correspondence, critical reviews, or the archives of institutions that exhibited his photographs to better understand the cultural and institutional context that shaped his photography and its reception.