Guggenheim 305--Paint Rock, Alabama 1955

This work by Robert Frank presents photographic film, likely dating from the mid-20th century. It’s a series of images taken in Paint Rock, Alabama. The material itself, a continuous strip of celluloid, is key. Rather than giving us single, iconic images, Frank presents the raw stuff of photography. You can see the sprocket holes along the edges, the manufacturer’s marks. It is the means of production, right there on the wall. The varying exposures and arrangements imply that there is no final composition. In this work, photography is presented as a process of exploration. Frank reminds us that there is no single, definitive way of seeing. Instead, there’s just a flow of images, recording light as it strikes a photosensitive surface, and capturing fleeting moments in time. The work involved in the production process lies with the photographer, in the labor of moving around and choosing to capture what he finds relevant. By laying bare the material and process of photography, Frank challenges our ideas about what an artwork can be.