Building under construction--Houston, Texas 1955

Editor: This is "Building under construction--Houston, Texas," a 1955 print by Robert Frank. There's a raw, almost brutal feeling to it. All these strong, geometric lines…it feels very imposing. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, Frank’s work from this period is a powerful commentary on American society, especially when viewed through a lens that accounts for class and power. The very act of “building,” particularly in a boomtown like Houston in the 50s, isn't a neutral process. Who benefits from this construction? Who is displaced? Who labors to create it, often in dangerous conditions? Editor: That’s a perspective I hadn’t considered. It felt more like a celebration of progress to me. Curator: Progress for whom? Think about the social landscape of Houston in 1955. Segregation was still very much in place. This construction would disproportionately benefit some communities over others, further solidifying existing power structures. And what do you make of the angle Frank chose? Editor: It’s an upward angle, making the building seem taller, more powerful. Is that deliberate, do you think? Curator: Absolutely. It emphasizes the scale of the project but also, perhaps, the scale of inequality it represents. These massive structures become physical symbols of an uneven distribution of resources and opportunity. How might Frank’s choice to shoot in black and white influence our interpretation? Editor: It adds a starkness, almost a grittiness. Maybe it takes away the romanticism that color might have added, making it more critical? Curator: Precisely! By stripping away color, Frank highlights the underlying socio-economic realities. Considering art through such an intersectional perspective really changes how we engage with it. Editor: It really does. I'll never look at a building under construction the same way again. Thank you for showing me how context can enrich a work of art so much!