7th Avenue--New York City 1 c. early 1950s

Robert Frank made this gelatin silver print, 7th Avenue--New York City 1, with a 35mm Leica camera, a tool that allowed him to capture fleeting moments on the streets of mid-century New York. The contact sheet aesthetic – those strips of negatives, usually hidden from view, now made visible – disrupts our conventional understanding of photography. Rather than a single, perfect image, we see a sequence, a process of selection and rejection. This approach coincided with a broader shift in the art world, challenging traditional notions of authorship and the art object. Frank’s work also mirrored larger social changes. The rise of consumer culture, the anxieties of the Cold War era, and the growing awareness of social inequalities. The historian would consider these factors alongside Frank's personal biography to understand his unique perspective. Archives, personal papers, and period publications all help to unpack the complex relationship between art and its context.