City of London 3 1952 - 1953

This photographic work by Robert Frank captures London’s cityscape through layered film strips. Notice how Frank presents fragments of urban life, each frame a glimpse into the city's pulsating heart. The film strip, a potent symbol itself, echoes the ceaseless flow of time and history. It reminds me of the ancient Roman practice of creating 'fasti', or calendars, documenting daily life—yet here, Frank fractures this record. This fragmentation invites us to consider the psychological impact of modern life, mirroring our own fragmented memories. Consider the recurring motif of solitary figures, shrouded in mist or shadow. Do they not evoke the 'flâneur' of Baudelaire, lost in contemplation amidst the city's chaos? This figure appears throughout art history, from Romantic paintings to modernist literature. Through these symbols, Frank taps into our collective subconscious. The city, once a symbol of progress, now embodies alienation and isolation. And yet, in this very darkness, a strange beauty emerges. The film strip becomes a scroll, telling a story not of linear progress but of cyclical human experience, echoing across time.