Early New York City no number c. 1949

This contact sheet by Robert Frank—it’s like he’s saying: here is New York, no number, no title needed. It’s right there, caught on film. I imagine him walking around with his camera, a small 35mm, feeling the city's pulse. Each frame is a quick sketch, an impression. Look at the grainy texture, the stark contrast. There's no polish, no pretense. It’s real. And there is so much to see. The image of the children in the bottom row feels immediate—they seem aware, as if they are looking right at you. But just above, there's a car parked on the street, doors flung open like it is about to take flight. Frank captures these fleeting moments and assembles them together—it's like looking through the artist’s eyes, seeing what grabbed his attention. And like all artists, he's in dialogue with others. Think of Walker Evans, or even the Ashcan painters from the turn of the century, all trying to capture the raw energy of city life.