London 61 1952 - 1953

Robert Frank made this photographic contact sheet, *London 61*, probably in 1961. I love contact sheets: they are like the artist's brain, showing the outtakes, the almost-weres, and the maybes alongside the keepers. You get to see a process unfolding. There's a ton of little moments here. See how Frank has circled certain frames, giving us a peek into his editing decisions, his own way of seeing. The red marker feels so alive on the stark black and white of the photographic strips, like the artist is literally drawing our attention, making marks as a way of thinking. I keep coming back to the strip showing children. There's a tenderness in the subject, but Frank’s unpolished style gives it a raw, documentary feel. Looking at this, I’m reminded of Garry Winogrand. Both artists were masters of street photography, capturing the messy, unposed reality of life as it happens. What I love about both of them is they remind us that art is an ongoing conversation, full of different voices and perspectives.