Panhandler--Early New York City no number c. 1950 - 1951

This contact sheet of 35mm film was shot by Robert Frank in New York City. It’s all about documenting a fleeting moment, or many fleeting moments, really. Look at the grain, the high contrast, the way the images are arranged: all these tiny frames in such close proximity to one another. It’s not so much about the individual image as it is the act of seeing. The images are a little blurry, not very well composed, but I love how the artist is clearly working something out, making something visible. I am really drawn to the frames on the far left. One has this gorgeous, looping graffiti and another some kind of figure on the street. It’s hard to make out the details, which makes it even more interesting. Frank’s work reminds me of Garry Winogrand, another street photographer who embraced the random and the imperfect. To me, that’s what art should be: a constant exploration, a conversation with the world.