Venice, Italy 26 1964

This photographic contact sheet of Venice by Robert Frank, probably made sometime in the late 20th century, is like a collection of blurry memories all laid out in a grid. I love how Frank embraces the imperfections, the grain, the blur, it's all part of the process. The way he crops and frames his shots, it's almost like he's painting with the camera. Look at how some of the images are dark and contrast sharply, while others are light and airy. It's all about capturing a feeling, a mood, rather than a perfect representation of reality. In frame 36 we see a face, perhaps the photographer's reflection, perhaps just a passer-by, partially obscured by glass or glare. It reminds me a little of Garry Winogrand, who was also interested in capturing the chaotic energy of street life, or even the earlier work of Eugène Atget, who sought to document a changing Paris. What I think we can really see here is a moment frozen in time, a fleeting glimpse of Venice through Frank's unique lens.