Guggenheim 337--New Orleans, Louisiana 1955

Editor: Here we have Robert Frank's "Guggenheim 337--New Orleans, Louisiana" from 1955, a gelatin silver print. It feels like we’re looking at outtakes from a roll of film, a glimpse into the production process. What strikes you about it? Curator: It's fascinating how Frank presents the raw material of his craft. The contact sheet format lays bare the normally hidden process. Consider the labor involved: the photographer’s eye, the developing process, the selection... even the materiality of the gelatin silver itself is showcased, transforming an industrial product into a form of artistic expression. How does this affect your understanding of photography as an art form? Editor: It definitely demystifies it! It feels less like a magical moment captured and more like a carefully constructed product. Like we're seeing the work behind the 'decisive moment'. So is this a kind of social commentary on the medium itself? Curator: Absolutely. It makes me think about consumption too. Frank, through this unedited format, challenges the audience. He invites them to question the choices, the editing, the manipulation inherent in constructing a final, presentable image. We usually consume the perfected product. Here, we see the means of production, and, in a way, we are implicated in that process of selection and consumption. What's your take on the subject matter – the people and city scenes? Editor: They seem so ordinary, everyday life... yet by showing us these ‘rejects’ maybe he's implying there is value in the mundane, a commentary on consumer culture and art making in general? It makes me wonder about all the unseen labour that goes into creating the images we take for granted. Curator: Precisely. Frank compels us to acknowledge the process, the materiality, and the very human labor behind art. Editor: This has made me appreciate the effort and intention of the artist even more. Curator: And to value not just the final product, but also its journey of becoming.