Political rally—Chicago 1956

Robert Frank made this photographic print, titled 'Political rally—Chicago,' sometime in the mid-twentieth century. The flag is cropped at the top, and a man is holding a tuba to his lips. The tuba’s big, round shape obscures his face, making me think about what’s concealed and revealed in photography. The greyscale is just gorgeous; so much nuance in the tones. The tuba has a smooth, shiny surface. But then there’s a rougher texture to the wall in the background, almost like it’s been scrubbed at. This contrast makes the image feel gritty, like it’s capturing something real, raw. Look closely at the way the light hits the bell of the tuba. It’s almost like a second face, a mask that both hides and amplifies the musician’s presence. Frank was interested in these kinds of juxtapositions and contrasts. His work has echoes of Walker Evans’ directness, but there’s also something more ambiguous, more poetic going on, too. It’s a reminder that seeing is never straightforward.