Mountainside--Landscape 1941 - 1945

Robert Frank’s small photograph, "Mountainside--Landscape," presents a snowy mountain scene through a range of greys. It's fascinating how Frank uses photography as a process of seeing; the tones suggest a certain mood, a cool detachment. Look at the texture; the snow isn't just white, it's got depth, areas of light and shadow, almost like brushstrokes. The dark spiky trees add another layer. I like how Frank captures the weight and density of the landscape. See how the composition leads the eye up to the peak? The whole image has a quiet feel. It reminds me a little of some of Gerhard Richter’s landscapes – that same interest in a particular kind of muted, melancholic, beauty. Ultimately, Frank gives us a space to wander through, to project our own feelings onto the scene. It's a landscape, but it's also a state of mind.