Guggenheim 759--New York City 1956

Editor: This is Robert Frank's "Guggenheim 759--New York City" from 1956, a gelatin silver print showing a series of film strips. I'm struck by its grittiness and how it captures the urban experience, almost like a visual poem about everyday life. What do you make of this piece? Curator: Frank’s approach to the gelatin silver print is intriguing here, particularly when considering his broader work. He really challenges notions of high art through a democratic approach to materials, making them accessible, yet often raw in their presentation. We should consider how that connects to labour in urban spaces like New York City at that time. Notice, too, the framing within framing; it isn’t just a series of photographs, it's a material object reflecting on its means of production. How do these fragmented views of the city influence your perception of New York? Editor: I hadn't really considered the layering effect – the film strips within the image, a photograph *of* photographs. I guess it’s self-referential. Does this contribute to any understanding of how photography, as a medium, was perceived at the time? Curator: Exactly. The seriality, the reproduction of images… It mirrors the industrial processes shaping the city. Think of photography moving from specialized artistic labor toward a tool of mass communication and consider the changes in both artistic agency and reception, particularly within gallery spaces, which is one level of Frank’s art gallery commentary and also relates to his art gallery presence today. He questions art's commodification itself. Editor: So it is not just documenting urban life, but also commenting on how we consume images of it? Curator: Precisely. He's exploring the mechanics and materiality of image-making itself as an accessible resource. Editor: I've learned to consider photography as not just representation, but also as a physical object, linked to industrial processes and social commentary. Thank you! Curator: Absolutely! Exploring Frank’s work is to unravel these interconnected layers within the world of consumption.