Atlantic City, New Jersey no number 1955

This is a photographic contact sheet by Robert Frank, likely made in 1955, showing scenes from Atlantic City, New Jersey. I imagine Frank walking along the boardwalk, snapping away, trying to capture the essence of this place. The images feel like glimpses of everyday life, fragments of stories. He's looking for something, maybe that decisive moment, or maybe just a feeling. The blank frames and random order create a rhythm, a sense of searching. It reminds me of my own studio practice, of making and unmaking. The physicality of the film is so present here – the sprocket holes, the frame numbers, the handwritten date. It’s raw and honest, like a sketchbook page. I get a sense of his process, his way of seeing, and the way he puts the world together. Frank's work is always in conversation with other artists—like Walker Evans—documenting the American landscape and experience with a critical eye. It’s a reminder that we’re all part of this ongoing dialogue, constantly responding and reacting to one another.