Guggenheim 515--Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer back lot, Universal City, California 1956

Robert Frank created this photographic contact sheet at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer back lot in Universal City, California; a series of images captured in one go. I love how Frank gives us everything here, the sense of art-making as a process. The darks are so dark they feel like physical material. The images move from a meeting, to a lake, to a dinner, to some buildings. It’s hard to know what to focus on. Our eyes jump between the frames, just like his. This jumping between images feels like looking into someone’s mind, the way different thoughts and impressions flow together in a stream of consciousness. The black and white adds a layer of grit. The photos almost look like sketches or notes. It reminds me of the work of Danny Lyon. It’s like a visual diary entry, open to endless interpretations.