Hollywood 71 1958

Curator: This is Robert Frank’s gelatin silver print "Hollywood 71," created in 1958. It’s not your typical polished Hollywood portrait. Editor: My first thought is repetition. Rows and rows of almost identical images. It gives me a sense of manufactured identity, something almost robotic about these posed individuals. Curator: Indeed. Frank’s work often challenged the idealized imagery propagated by mass media. Here, we see a film strip of people at what looks like an industry luncheon or event, each captured with an almost detached observation. This photograph challenges celebrity culture. Editor: I'm struck by how the means of production are laid bare, quite literally. We see the edge markings of the film itself – Ilford, Hypersensitive. The photographic process becomes part of the story, not just a means to an end. Curator: Exactly. And by showing this raw, unedited strip, Frank deconstructs the glamour. He demystifies the production of celebrity images and also critiques the system churning out these celebrities. Notice, how some frames are circled in red? Indicating the artist’s chosen sections. Editor: And some frames marked with an “X,” discarded like waste product from a Hollywood dream factory. It reinforces the disposable nature of fame and image construction. It's potent imagery in this presentation. It also is not glossy, you can see its tangible existence, not as a flawless persona of glamour, but simply made by materials. Curator: Very true. Overall, “Hollywood 71” makes us consider the role photography plays in shaping our perceptions of fame, and what really lies behind it. Editor: And perhaps consider how our own consumption feeds the engine of this image factory. How we give meaning to these images simply by valuing them. Curator: Precisely. Thank you. Editor: Thank you.