Frankfurt Main Station 1943

Curator: Louise Rösler created this evocative work, "Frankfurt Main Station." It’s a drawing, just 12 by 16.5 centimeters, held here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels chaotic, almost overwhelming. A flurry of signs and structures, all rendered with a kind of frenetic energy. Curator: The Frankfurt Main Station, historically, has always been a site of intense cultural and social exchange. Rösler captures that sense of constant movement and activity. Editor: Look at how she renders the signs! "Hauptwache", "Monopol"... they're fragmented, almost like memories or fleeting impressions rather than legible words. And the arches…they carry a weight. Curator: The station, as a public space, reflects Germany’s urban transformation. Rösler likely observed the societal shifts, perhaps offering a critical perspective. Editor: It really does speak to the energy of modern urban life. I am left with a real sense of the transient nature of experience. Curator: It's a powerful snapshot of a place defined by its constant change. Editor: Absolutely, a place and moment captured in a whirlwind.