MacArthur parade--New York City no number 20 - 1951

Robert Frank made this contact sheet of the MacArthur parade in New York City with his camera, developing chemicals, and darkroom magic. The images are small and grainy, kind of like memories, not sharp and clear but full of feeling. I love how you can see the whole process laid out. It's not just the final image but all the frames, the outtakes, even the writing around the edges. Frank's making is right there on the surface, like a painter who leaves their brushstrokes visible. Look at how the light changes from frame to frame. Sometimes it's bright and glaring, sometimes shadowy and mysterious. It's like Frank is capturing not just the event, but also the way it felt to be there, the emotional texture of the day. In the end, this work makes me think of folks like Garry Winogrand or Diane Arbus, artists who aren't afraid to show the raw, messy truth of life. It’s a great reminder that art is about asking questions, not giving answers.