Snow--New York City 1 1960

This is Robert Frank’s "Snow--New York City 1," a black and white photograph capturing a film strip of snowy urban scenes. Frank, a Swiss-American photographer, is known for his raw and often unsettling depictions of American life. Looking at this piece, what do you feel? The grainy texture and stark contrast evoke a sense of alienation. The film strip format reminds us of cinema, suggesting a narrative, but one that’s fragmented and incomplete. Frank was an outsider, and his lens often focused on those at the margins of society: the disenfranchised, the lonely, and the overlooked. This perspective is especially significant considering the socio-political climate of the time. The photos can be interpreted as the unease and social tensions simmering beneath the surface of postwar America. Frank once said, "Black and white are the colors of photography. To me they symbolize the alternatives of hope and despair to which mankind is forever subjected." Through his lens, he captured not just images, but a profound sense of the human condition.