Alfred Leslie, Diana, and Pablo--New Jersey no number 1960

Robert Frank captured this contact sheet, “Alfred Leslie, Diana, and Pablo--New Jersey no number,” offering us glimpses into a moment in time through his lens. What strikes me is the motif of transit, evoked through the repeated imagery of cars and roadside scenes. These vehicles, these liminal spaces, are not merely modes of transportation, but symbols loaded with cultural significance. We have seen these motifs echoed throughout art history, consider the nomadic journeys depicted in ancient tapestries, or the wagons of the old west, vessels for hope and progress but also despair and displacement. The car, in particular, has evolved into a potent symbol of modern life, embodying freedom, escape, and the relentless pursuit of the horizon, yet also isolation and alienation. Think about the films of the mid-20th century, where the open road symbolizes both possibility and existential angst. This contact sheet engages our collective memory. It invites us to contemplate our own relationship to movement and the psychological impact of perpetual transition.