Fourth of July--Coney Island 4 4 - 1958

Robert Frank's "Fourth of July--Coney Island 4" (1958) is a contact sheet of photographs depicting a Fourth of July celebration at Coney Island. The sheet is made up of 24 individual frames, each capturing a different moment of the event. Frank's use of black and white photography highlights the contrast between the bright lights of the fireworks and the dark silhouettes of the crowds, creating a sense of both celebration and chaos. The contact sheet serves as a visual record of the photographer's process, offering a glimpse into Frank's artistic choices and the unfolding of the event. The sheet is a key piece of Frank's larger photographic project, "The Americans," which sought to document everyday life in the United States.