Paris 49B 1951 - 1952

This is Robert Frank's photographic contact sheet, Paris 49B, probably made sometime in the middle of the last century. It's a collection of moments captured on film, little glimpses of Parisian life, all arranged on a single sheet. I imagine Frank walking around Paris, camera in hand, always looking, framing the world through his lens. Snap, snap, snap. He’s collecting moments like a painter might collect sketches. Maybe he had some grand vision or maybe he was just seeing what would come. The city streets, people going about their day, maybe a flower stall - then back in the darkroom, processing the film, and seeing what he got. It's almost like a map of his wanderings, thoughts, and impressions. The blue marker adds a layer of time. It reminds me that art-making is about choices: what to keep, what to discard, and what to highlight. And I guess, that's life too, right?