Saint Patrick's Day parade--New York City 4 17 - 1958

This is "Saint Patrick's Day parade--New York City 4" by Robert Frank, who made it with photography, of course. It’s a contact sheet, a kind of behind-the-scenes look at the photographic process. It makes me think about how artists use different kinds of mark making to explore ideas and experiences. The texture of the photographic paper, the stark contrast of the black and white images, and the visible film edges all give the image a raw, immediate feel, like we're right there in the darkroom with Frank. There’s a particular frame, the one with the blue square around it, that really grabs me. It’s like the artist is saying, "Look here, this is important." Frank’s work feels like a conversation with artists like Walker Evans, but with a more personal, almost diaristic approach. Art isn't about having all the answers, but about asking the right questions and inviting others to join the conversation.