Hotel interior--California 1956

Robert Frank made this silver gelatin print, Hotel interior—California, sometime during his life between 1924 and 2019. It's a view of an interior reflected in a mirror. The blacks are so rich, almost velvety, while the whites have this fragile, papery quality. The reflections and light flares make it feel like a ghostly memory, not just a snapshot. The mirror's shape gives the image a kind of arched window effect, like we're peeking into another world. Look at the way the light catches the edges of the mirror, creating a soft halo around the darker interior. The details are blurred, especially in the reflection. You can see the suggestion of furniture, a TV, but it's all softened, like a dream. This reminds me a bit of Brassai’s moody, atmospheric photographs of Paris at night. It is that interest in capturing a feeling, a moment, rather than just documenting a scene.