Test patterns, CBS TV studio--Burbank, California c. 1955 - 1956

This photograph by Robert Frank captures a CBS TV studio in Burbank, California. Frank wasn't using traditional art materials; he used a camera and film, tools of mass media, to reflect on mass media itself. The stark black and white emphasizes the industrial nature of television production, and the photograph shows us the material reality that is normally hidden from view. Look closely, and you can see the heavy machinery, the cables, and the test patterns – all essential to creating the images that flood our screens. Frank seems interested in revealing the labor and technical processes behind broadcasting. The image raises questions about labor, politics, and consumption in the television industry. The photograph also reminds us that even seemingly transparent media like television have a material basis and are constructed through human effort. Ultimately, Frank prompts us to consider the social and cultural significance embedded within these technologies.