Newburgh, New York VIII 1955

Robert Frank created "Newburgh, New York VIII" with gelatin silver print, a material that's all about capturing light and shadow, just like memory itself. The filmstrip format gives us a glimpse into Frank's process, his way of seeing and selecting moments, like flipping through a visual diary. Look at the grainy texture, the high contrast, it's raw, like a sketch rather than a slick photo. You see the photographer as a kind of collector, sifting through moments, arranging them, editing reality into a new form. The red marker highlights certain frames, a car wreck, a group of people, choices that are full of potential meanings, but never quite pin anything down. It reminds me of how Jasper Johns used everyday objects to invite us to see things afresh. Like Johns, Frank revels in the beauty of ambiguity and celebrates the poetry of everyday life.