Valencia, Spain 8/Black White and Things 18 1952

Robert Frank created this contact sheet – Valencia, Spain 8/Black White and Things 18 – using photographic film. As a collection of frames, this piece speaks to a very particular process. Unlike a painting or sculpture, which are unique objects, photography implies the potential for endless reproduction. This sheet, with its multiple images, numbers, and markings, gives us access to the artist’s selection process, his way of working with time and perspective. It’s interesting to see how he chose certain frames for further development, and rejected others. By showing us not just the final image, but the labor involved in its creation, Frank challenges our traditional notions of artistic value and authorship. He elevates the role of the everyday, and suggests that the true art lies not just in the final product, but in the act of seeing and selecting.