San Gennaro festival--New York City no number 1951

Robert Frank captured this photographic contact sheet, "San Gennaro festival--New York City," using gelatin silver print. The images document New York's San Gennaro festival. Light is a dominant symbol. Arches of lights recur along the filmstrip, evoking a sacred or ceremonial passage, reminiscent of ancient Roman triumphal arches, pagan ritual sites, or even the heavenly gates in religious art. Light carries a psychoanalytic weight, representing enlightenment and truth. The presence of repeated archways reflects our collective, almost subconscious desire for transcendence. This imagery echoes in various cultural celebrations, from religious processions to modern-day festivals. The act of celebration brings people together, connecting us through time. The motif is not linear but cyclical, resurfacing and evolving in different contexts. Even today, light is a powerful symbol, engaging us on a profound and subconscious level.