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Robert Frank Interview


jklotz

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Just listened to an interview with Robert Frank on NPR (Bob Edwards Weekend). He was discussing his making of "The Americans" among other things. I found it to be highly entertaining. If you want to hear it, I think you can download a podcast of it here:

 

The Bob Edwards Show/Bob Edwards Weekend Discussion Forum :: View topic - Weekend: Sarah Greenough, Robert Frank

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Thank you so much for this link. Despite the constant reference to "The Americans" as a "photo essay", this is a much better interview than the one done by Charlie so and so at Lincoln Center. For relevance to this particular set of forums, we might note Frank's comment about returning to photography in the early 1970s - "I thought there might be some more pictures there - inside the Leica".

 

I was very glad to see that the interview at least touched upon Frank's later work.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

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This may have been posted elsewhere, but since I can't find it just now, I'll add a few words about the current Robert Frank exhibit at the National Gallery of Art in DC.

 

I was in DC last weekend and was able to see it. It will be up until April 26, 2009, before circulating to several other major museums in the US. Admission free.

 

Link to NGA page on this exhibit: National Gallery of Art - Looking In: Robert Frank's The Americans

 

The exhibit delves into detail on Frank's educational background and early photographic influences, his early work, his relations with Walker Evans, Alexy Brodovitch and Edward Steichen in America. (I also discovered, but was not surprised, to learn that Bill Brandt's work in London had been a major influence on Frank.) All three supported Frank's Guggenheim application in 1955. Evans worked with him on re-writing it, and was also a member of the Board that helped select Frank's application. The Guggenheim gave Frank the necessary support to start his 10,000 mile journey around the country that led to the 750 plus rolls of film. There are many contact sheets and work prints along with copies of Frank's original correspondence with Evans and others.

 

The exhibit goes very deeply into Frank's working process and his editing methods. You can really feel the evolution of the work as you move from room to room and look at the exhibits. It details the development of the subtle visual thematic links and decisions that led him to select and sequence the final 82 images out of the 1000 8x10 work prints. Probably the deepest and most thoughtful considerations of "The Americans" that I've encountered.

 

To see the contacts, the work prints, the subtle cropping and editing, and some of the beautiful final prints displayed under glass in various sizes is really worthwhile. In the largest of the display rooms, contacts are displayed under glass, you can see his original crop marks on now iconic images that were selected, and you can look across the wall to see the 11x14 silver gelatin print under glass. To recall that all this was done with a small Leica and silver based black and white film restores great respect to this kind of photography. It also makes you realize how powerful an instrument this small camera really can be.

 

I went through the exhibit twice and purchased the extendeed exhibit catalogue by Sarah Greenough that can also be had at Amazon for a reduced price. The catalgue is a rich source of information and contains most of the relevant visual material from the exhibit. A number of essays go into much greater depth than the notes in the exhibit itself.

 

For anyone who is interested in Frank's work and his seminal role in the development of the personal documentary, for anyone interested in the creative process or who wants to see just how far that little camera can take you if you have a vision, this is very worthwhile exhibit. If you recall, as I do, how you may have been struck by any number of Frank's images in the "Americans" (I recall in particular his image of rooftops in Butte Montana, seen when I didn't even know what a Leica looked like, and many, many more images over the years since then), this is a great exhibit about his massive undertaking. If I have a chance, I hope to get back to DC to see the original work again.

 

I could go on and on, but...you should see for yourselves.

 

Hats off to NGA for this one.

 

Best wishes to all

 

Jacek

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