Guggenheim 491--Twentieth Century Fox film studio, Burbank, California 1956

Robert Frank’s photographic print, "Guggenheim 491--Twentieth Century Fox film studio, Burbank, California", captures the studio's mainframe computers. Rows of seated men are interspersed throughout the visual matrix of wires, screens, and electronic components. Observe the motif of the seated figure, surrounded by instruments of power. One can draw a parallel between these men and the ancient scribes hunched over their texts in the scriptoriums of antiquity. They, too, were keepers of knowledge, and their posture reflected the intensity and importance of their work. Consider how the tools have evolved, yet the pose remains. The image brings to mind the alchemist in his laboratory. We are reminded of the deep human drive to harness the unseen forces of the universe. Even now, subconscious longings stir within us as we seek order and understanding in the face of the unknown. Thus, Frank's image becomes part of a long chain of visual representations, where the human figure amidst the tools of intellect is a recurring theme.