From the bus 74B 1958

Robert Frank's 'From the bus 74B' shows the world viewed through the lens of a camera, arranged in a sequence like a film strip. I can almost see Frank on the bus, his eye pressed to the viewfinder, framing each shot with intention and curiosity. Each individual frame captures a fleeting moment—city streets, pedestrians, storefronts—a jumble of urban life unfolding. The red X on one of the images is like a painter marking the canvas, drawing attention to a particular area. I think that Frank's work is so interesting because it is as if he is taking notes, using the camera to try to catch a glimpse of the essence of a place and time. It reminds me of how painters like Fairfield Porter used the immediacy of painting to capture a sense of everyday life. They both are looking at the world, trying to translate a sense of being in it.