Barbershop--Florida 15 1958

This is Robert Frank's "Barbershop--Florida 15", a photo from an unknown date, developed on Kodak film. There's something so raw about seeing the whole contact sheet laid out like this, the artist's edits in sharpie jumping right out at you. The high contrast, the way it captures light and shadow, it's all part of the process, right? I'm drawn to the lower strip of images showing the interior of what I assume is the barbershop. They're a bit blurry, a little out of focus, but that doesn't take away from the overall effect. Look at the way the chairs are arranged, the way the light spills in through the windows, how the grain is emphasized. Frank is showing us the gritty reality of small-town life. It reminds me a bit of Walker Evans, who had a knack for capturing everyday scenes with such honesty. Both artists are interested in process. They show us that art can be found in the unexpected, in the imperfections, and in the willingness to embrace ambiguity.