Self-portrait in rear view mirror--Hollywood 43 1958

Robert Frank made this black and white photographic contact sheet, titled "Self-portrait in rear view mirror--Hollywood 43", sometime in the 1940s. Frank's image offers a glimpse into the artist's perspective. The contact sheet format, a direct print from the negative strip, suggests an intimate, unedited view into Frank's artistic process. It's a work of art but also a record of the artist's work. The repeated image of the rearview mirror becomes a motif, framing the world outside the car. Made in Hollywood, the image hints at the car culture and the constant movement of American life. Frank, a Swiss immigrant, often turned his lens on the social fabric of the United States. What was the public role of photography at the time? And what kind of social conditions shape the photographic archive? By examining Frank's work through the lens of cultural and institutional history, we can better understand the role of photography in shaping our understanding of American society. Resources such as Frank's biography and essays, or studies on photographic practices of the mid-20th century can provide additional insights into this work.