Guggenheim 320--Chattanooga and Memphis, Tennessee 1955

Robert Frank made this work, Guggenheim 320--Chattanooga and Memphis, Tennessee, out of gelatin silver. I love how each frame has its own story, yet they all talk to each other, like a visual conversation. The high contrast is like a bold statement, a way of seeing that's both direct and full of feeling. The texture in this print is fascinating. You can almost feel the graininess of the film, which to me, it's like the artist isn't trying to hide anything, but instead wants you to get up close and see all the nitty-gritty details. Look at the frame with the cars parked. It’s a sea of metal and light, all mashed together. The way Frank captures that scene, it’s like he’s saying, "Here's what it feels like to be in this place, in this time." It reminds me a bit of Walker Evans, another photographer who wasn't afraid to show the world as it is. It's like they're both saying, "Hey, let's not pretend things are perfect. Let's look at the real stuff, the messy stuff, and see what we can find."