Paris 39A 1950

Editor: Here we have Robert Frank’s "Paris 39A" from 1950, a gelatin-silver print presented as a full contact sheet. I find it really fascinating seeing all these different moments captured. It feels almost like flipping through someone's memories of the city. How do you interpret Frank's choice to present the photographs in this raw, unfiltered format? Curator: That's a keen observation. Presenting the contact sheet elevates what might otherwise be considered process into the final artwork. It makes us think about the photographic act itself, its place in documenting the social and physical landscape. What narratives emerge when you look at the images grouped together, rather than as individual shots? Editor: I see a mix of the mundane and the picturesque, like everyday life happening against a backdrop of famous Parisian landmarks. I also see how this presentation feels incredibly intimate, almost like we’re not meant to see the behind-the-scenes of a photographer's work. Curator: Exactly. And it’s interesting to consider the socio-political climate of the time. Post-war Paris was grappling with recovery and redefinition. Does seeing this contact sheet make you think about ideas such as street photography shaping public memory or about the social role of photographers? Editor: Definitely. Knowing the context of post-war Paris helps understand the nuances and its place as a historicized narrative of the city’s public image. I’d not considered the idea of 'memory' in this image and now appreciate how Frank is asking the public to reconcile these different components to capture Paris. Curator: Indeed. What was initially intended as documentary becomes art, transforming how we see and understand both the subject and the photographer’s presence within that social reality. It makes me think about who we authorize to narrate society. Editor: I learned so much from exploring how context affects our perspective, beyond face value! Curator: And I’m glad we could reflect on the way public and personal merge in Frank's contact sheet.