Skier--Sports 1941 - 1945

Robert Frank's small photograph, *Skier—Sports,* captures a lone figure standing at the entrance of a dark tunnel. It's made with light and shadow. The tunnel is like a mouth, and I wonder what it felt like for Frank to come upon this skier, and what it felt like for the skier. Did they know each other? The skier stands firm on the snow, looking like they're about to enter a dark unknown, and maybe Frank saw that in them. I see a kind of quietness here, a hesitation. Maybe it’s a bit like when a painter faces a blank canvas, that moment of doubt before starting, or maybe it’s about something deeper, like facing life’s uncertainties. Frank often captured these kinds of isolated figures in his work. Artists everywhere have a good eye for uncertainty, and it’s a good reminder that making art, like skiing, is about moving through the unknown, trusting your instincts, and finding your own way.