Don Quixote statue--San Francisco 1956

Editor: This gelatin silver print, "Don Quixote statue--San Francisco," was taken by Robert Frank in 1956. The layering of the statue with the people walking by creates this kind of ghostly effect, where the past seems to blend right into the present. How do you interpret the commentary at play here? Curator: This photograph provides a lens through which we can explore themes of displacement and the enduring relevance of mythology in a rapidly changing society. Frank, often drawn to outsiders and the marginalized, captures Don Quixote, a figure himself alienated from his own time, juxtaposed against the backdrop of mid-century America. It makes you wonder, who *are* the real Quixotes tilting at windmills here? Editor: So, you're suggesting that Frank saw parallels between Don Quixote's struggle and the struggles of ordinary people he encountered? Curator: Precisely. Think about the cultural climate of the 1950s. Beneath the veneer of prosperity, there was a deep undercurrent of conformity and alienation. Frank, through his lens, questioned this narrative. The juxtaposition invites us to reflect on who society deems delusional or idealistic, and why. Editor: It’s like he’s asking if pursuing dreams, even seemingly impossible ones, is inherently foolish or somehow… revolutionary? Curator: Absolutely! Consider, too, the power dynamics embedded within the image itself. Who has the privilege to simply walk by, seemingly oblivious to the statue’s presence, and who is forever frozen in place, a relic of a bygone era? Whose stories get told and remembered, and whose are relegated to the margins? What do you make of that visual tension? Editor: It definitely gives me a lot to think about in terms of who gets to shape our cultural narrative and whose voices are amplified or silenced over time. I see it now, thanks!