Peru, page 38 1948

Robert Frank’s photograph, *Peru, page 38*, captures a poignant moment in time. It’s a fuzzy monochrome image, the subjects are a close group of indigenous Peruvians. The foregrounded figure, with a guitar strapped to his back, gazes towards the camera, his expression carrying a weight of stories untold. Frank often worked in series, compiling images into visual narratives. I imagine him, camera in hand, wandering, watching, responding intuitively to the world around him, a bit like me with my sketchbook and paint. The composition feels immediate, unposed, more like a snapshot from life. It makes you wonder what Frank was thinking as he snapped the shutter? What connection did he feel with the people he photographed? I know I’m always striving to get at that tension between documentation and emotional resonance. It reminds us that photography and painting, despite their different mediums, are both ways of seeing, feeling, and ultimately, connecting with the world and each other.