Edgard Varèse for "Harper's Bazaar" 1 1962

Editor: This is Robert Frank’s “Edgard Varèse for "Harper's Bazaar" 1,” a gelatin silver print from 1962. The three strips of film, the contrast of light and shadow... it feels like a study in photographic composition itself. What formal qualities stand out to you? Curator: Observe the visual rhythm. Frank uses the repetition of frames, yet he disrupts it. The eye is drawn to the variation within those constraints. Notice the shifts in focus and depth of field. This creates a unique internal tension and establishes hierarchy. Editor: Hierarchy? Could you elaborate? Curator: Consider the framing. Why has Frank chosen to include the sprocket holes and edge markings? This invites us to consider the object-ness of the film strip, acknowledging photography as a medium. What is suggested? What are the differences? Editor: Interesting! So, it’s not just the *subject* of the photo, but the way it's presented that conveys meaning. I was focused on Varèse, but the structure has so much to tell. Curator: Precisely. The arrangement emphasizes photography's inherent properties. What appears at first glance as happenstance, shows careful design upon closer examination. Editor: I see that now. I initially interpreted the composition as random, but I’ve learned so much by considering it formally! Curator: By investigating the formal relationships in Robert Frank's work, new areas of inquiry are opened for subsequent investigation.