Cotton harvesters--between Houston and San Antonio, Texas 1955

Editor: This gelatin-silver print, "Cotton Harvesters—between Houston and San Antonio, Texas," was captured by Robert Frank in 1955. The expressions on the children’s faces are so compelling, a mixture of hope and… weariness, perhaps? What historical context should we consider when looking at this work? Curator: Well, the year is significant. 1955 was smack-dab in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement. Segregation was still deeply entrenched in the South. So when we look at this image, we can't ignore the social and economic realities facing these young cotton harvesters. Child labor, particularly among minority communities, was still prevalent. What do you make of the title's specificity, the location? Editor: It feels intentional. By naming those specific cities, it makes this less about *any* cotton field, and more about *this* specific reality, in *this* time and place. But, I guess I am asking if it has impacted other photographers. Curator: Absolutely, Robert Frank's images influenced many who sought a different type of realism. The "Decisive Moment", especially in street photography, moved to embrace more social themes, to comment. He made people uncomfortable, showing America not as it wanted to be seen, but as it was. Has seeing that cotton field shifted your feeling about those kids in the frame? Editor: Yes. I mean, knowing this was happening then…it complicates their smiles. It's not a carefree childhood; it's work, within a specific system of exploitation. This photo asks us to look deeper. Curator: Precisely. Frank wasn't just capturing a scene; he was making a statement. And that statement continues to resonate today.