Guggenheim 558A--Stock car races, Palm Springs, and golf course, Griffith Park, Los Angeles 1956

Robert Frank made this contact sheet, Guggenheim 558A, at an unknown date, using photography to assemble images of stock car races, Palm Springs, and golf course, Griffith Park, Los Angeles. This piece is a process itself. The contact sheet presents the raw material of Frank’s photographic work. It's all about the textures of daily life, the high contrast black and white giving everything a stark, immediate feel. Look at how he captures groups of people. There is a candid, unposed quality to each shot. Think about the frame where people are gathered, maybe at a racing event or a public gathering. The stark contrast and the way the figures huddle together, give it a sense of energy, or anxiety. It is as if we were there. The presentation allows us to think of artmaking as a constant process. Frank’s work reminds me a bit of Garry Winogrand, both capturing the pulse of American life with a raw, unfiltered eye. It's not about answers, but about asking questions and embracing the messiness of the world.