Fabrics 1942 - 1946

Robert Frank captured this image of fabrics with a camera, at some point in his long career. The textures here are calling out to me, just begging to be touched. Look how the light slides across the silky top fabric, creating these soft, blurry highlights. It’s almost like he’s painting with light, isn't it? See how the fabric bunches and folds, creating these deep shadows, then compare the heavy fringe in the centre to the stiff lace in the bottom corner. There is so much going on in this composition. The ship image is also a curious addition, is it embroidered, printed, or collaged? This tension between flatness and depth really animates the image. It reminds me of a really early photogram by someone like Man Ray, or Moholy-Nagy, but with an added layer of narrative mystery. Ultimately, this piece feels like an open question.