| ********** |
presented the same phogographs as the Delpire edition but a text by Jack Kerouac
replaced the French writings. The book begins with Kerouac’s introduction, followed
by Frank’s photographs in the same sequence as the Delpire edition. On the left-hand
pages are short captions from Frank, which describe the location.
Since 1959 “The Americans” has been reprinted by different publishers, in multiple
languages and formats. Frank has had varying influence on these editions; some were
printed without his input, approval or know ledge. When the Steidl [50th anniversary]
edition of “The Americans” was printed, Frank was involved in every step of its design
and production. The 83 photographs were scanned in tritone from vintage prints in
Frank’s collection, which revealed that many images in past editions were actually
crops of the originals. For the Steidl book Frank studied and revised these crops and in
many cases included the full photographs.
The Steidl edition also reproduces two photographs printed from negatives different to
those used for all previous editions. These photographs depict the same two subjects as
in other editions (“Metropolitan Life Insurance Building–New York City” and
“Assembly Line–Detroit”) but from a slightly different perspective. Kerouac’s text and
Frank’s captions remain unaltered from the Kerouac’s text and Frank’s captions remain
unaltered from the Grove Press edition, the typography however was redesigned. As
well as revising the book’s design, Frank selected the paper, endpaper and book linen.
He opted for a thread-stitched book, and conceived a new dust jacket made from the
same paper as in the book (Xantur 170 g from Scheufelen), sealing it with a simple
replaced the French writings. The book begins with Kerouac’s introduction, followed
by Frank’s photographs in the same sequence as the Delpire edition. On the left-hand
pages are short captions from Frank, which describe the location.
Since 1959 “The Americans” has been reprinted by different publishers, in multiple
languages and formats. Frank has had varying influence on these editions; some were
printed without his input, approval or know ledge. When the Steidl [50th anniversary]
edition of “The Americans” was printed, Frank was involved in every step of its design
and production. The 83 photographs were scanned in tritone from vintage prints in
Frank’s collection, which revealed that many images in past editions were actually
crops of the originals. For the Steidl book Frank studied and revised these crops and in
many cases included the full photographs.
The Steidl edition also reproduces two photographs printed from negatives different to
those used for all previous editions. These photographs depict the same two subjects as
in other editions (“Metropolitan Life Insurance Building–New York City” and
“Assembly Line–Detroit”) but from a slightly different perspective. Kerouac’s text and
Frank’s captions remain unaltered from the Kerouac’s text and Frank’s captions remain
unaltered from the Grove Press edition, the typography however was redesigned. As
well as revising the book’s design, Frank selected the paper, endpaper and book linen.
He opted for a thread-stitched book, and conceived a new dust jacket made from the
same paper as in the book (Xantur 170 g from Scheufelen), sealing it with a simple
 |  |  |  |
| If you have a picture you'd like us to feature a picture in a future quiz, please email it to us at CFitzp@aol.com. If we use it, you will receive a free analysis of your picture. You will also receive a free Forensic Genealogy CD or a 10% discount towards the purchase of the Forensic Genealogy book. |
 |  |  |  |
| 1. Sharon Goldstein now Collins 2 & 3. 50th anniversary of Robert Frank's "Looking In: Robert Frank's 'The Americas'" at the San Francisco MOMA |
| ********** |
| ********** |
| If you enjoy our quizzes, don't forget to order our books! Click here. |
| Quiz #225 Results |
| Robert Frank's "The Americans" 50th Anniversary www.steidlville.com/pictures/pdf/Steidl_Frank_Catalogue_A4.pdf |
Robert Frank’s “The Americans” was first published in
1958 by Robert Delpire in Paris. It featured 83 of
Frank’s photographs taken in America in 1955 and
1956, accompanied by writings in French about
American political and social history selected by Alain
Bosquet. Delpire’s “Les Américains” formed part of
the Encyclopédie essentielle series, which presented
foreign countries to a French audience.
Each of Frank’s photographs in this edition is placed
on a right-hand page, with the texts on the left-hand
pages. The first English edition of “The Americans”
was published in 1959 by Grove Press in New York. It
1958 by Robert Delpire in Paris. It featured 83 of
Frank’s photographs taken in America in 1955 and
1956, accompanied by writings in French about
American political and social history selected by Alain
Bosquet. Delpire’s “Les Américains” formed part of
the Encyclopédie essentielle series, which presented
foreign countries to a French audience.
Each of Frank’s photographs in this edition is placed
on a right-hand page, with the texts on the left-hand
pages. The first English edition of “The Americans”
was published in 1959 by Grove Press in New York. It
| (Left) Photo by Robert Frank; (Right) Re-creation with Sharon Collins in 2009. |
| Robert Frank |
And I say: That little ole lonely elevator girl looking up sighing in an elevator full of
blurred demons, what’s her name & address?”
Jack Keroac
Introduction to The Americans
by Robert Frank
blurred demons, what’s her name & address?”
Jack Keroac
Introduction to The Americans
by Robert Frank
| Robert Frank's Elevator Girl Sees Herself Years Later www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112389032 |
| ********** |
One of photographer Robert Frank's most
famous images aroused a particular interest
from his friend, beat writer Jack Kerouac.
In his introduction to Frank's book of photos
famous images aroused a particular interest
from his friend, beat writer Jack Kerouac.
In his introduction to Frank's book of photos
The Americans, Kerouac writes, "That little ole lonely elevator girl looking up sighing in
an elevator full of blurred demons, what's her name & address?"
Now we know.
Today, Sharon Collins lives in San Francisco. About 10 years ago she visited the San
Francisco Museum of Modern Art and found herself drawn to a particular photo — the
same photo Jack Kerouac wrote about.
"I stood in front of this particular photograph for probably a full five minutes, not
knowing why I was staring at it," she says. "And then it really dawned on me that the
girl in the picture was me."
The iconic shot shows a young girl, pressing an elevator button, looking up with an
unreadable expression.
At the time, her name was Sharon Goldstein, growing up in Miami Beach. At fifteen,
an elevator full of blurred demons, what's her name & address?"
Now we know.
Today, Sharon Collins lives in San Francisco. About 10 years ago she visited the San
Francisco Museum of Modern Art and found herself drawn to a particular photo — the
same photo Jack Kerouac wrote about.
"I stood in front of this particular photograph for probably a full five minutes, not
knowing why I was staring at it," she says. "And then it really dawned on me that the
girl in the picture was me."
The iconic shot shows a young girl, pressing an elevator button, looking up with an
unreadable expression.
At the time, her name was Sharon Goldstein, growing up in Miami Beach. At fifteen,
| Read story about Sharon Collins recognizing herself in Robert Frank's famous picture. Click here. |
| For a review of the Robert Frank exhibit at San Francisco's Museum of Modern Art, click here. |
she got a summer job as an elevator girl at
the Sherry Frontenac Hotel. She says the
hotel was always full of tourists, and many
of them had cameras. Although she wishes
the Sherry Frontenac Hotel. She says the
hotel was always full of tourists, and many
of them had cameras. Although she wishes
she remembers this particular tourist, she doesn't. But she pieced together what
happened by looking at Frank's contact sheet.
"Robert Frank took about four photos of me without a flash in the elevator. I didn't
know he was taking them. And then when the elevator emptied of its 'blurred demons,'"
she says, "he asked me to turn around and smile at the camera. And I flashed a smile,
put my hands on my hips. I hammed it up for about eight or ten frames."
But from the single image that was chosen for The Americans, Kerouac guessed she
was lonely. Collins thinks he was pretty close.
"He saw in me something that most people didn't see. I have a big smile and a big laugh,
and I'm usually pretty funny. So people see one thing in me. And I suspect Robert
Frank and Jack Kerouac saw something that was deeper. That only people who were
really close to me can see. It's not necessarily loneliness, it's ... dreaminess."
happened by looking at Frank's contact sheet.
"Robert Frank took about four photos of me without a flash in the elevator. I didn't
know he was taking them. And then when the elevator emptied of its 'blurred demons,'"
she says, "he asked me to turn around and smile at the camera. And I flashed a smile,
put my hands on my hips. I hammed it up for about eight or ten frames."
But from the single image that was chosen for The Americans, Kerouac guessed she
was lonely. Collins thinks he was pretty close.
"He saw in me something that most people didn't see. I have a big smile and a big laugh,
and I'm usually pretty funny. So people see one thing in me. And I suspect Robert
Frank and Jack Kerouac saw something that was deeper. That only people who were
really close to me can see. It's not necessarily loneliness, it's ... dreaminess."
| ********** |
| City Fathers - Hoboken, New Jersey Robert Frank 1955 |
| ********** |
| Easy Way to Solve the Puzzle - Use TinEye. |
| Congratulations to Our Winners Mr. Rick and his Quiz Angel Heather! Stan Read Milene Rawlinson Robert W. Steinmann Jr. Carl Blessing Carol Cropley Linda Dean Betty Chambers JoLynn Pfeiffer John Chulick Carolyn Cornelius Mary South Teresa Yu Charlie Wayne Patricia Frazier Karen Petrus Gary Sterne Mary South Mary Osmar Brett Payne Daniel E. Jolley Jim Kiser Mike Dalton Dave Doucette Elaine C. Hebert John Sims Peter Norton Judy Pfaff Dennis Brann Diane Burkett Karen Kay Bunting |
| Parade - Hoboken, New Jersey Robert Frank 1955 |
| Go to www.tineye.com |
| 1. What is the name of this woman? 2. Why was she recently in the news? 3. Who took the picture? |
| Answer to Quiz #225 September 20, 2009 |
| US 90, En Route to Del Rio, Texas Robert Frank 1955 |
| Trolley, New Orleans Robert Frank 1955 |
| ********** |
| Comments from Our Readers |
Notes: Much easier than last week's quiz! Although I admit to not recognizing the photo
-- to be honest, I checked the image title (here frankone.jpg) and performed a Google
image search for "frank elevator." The rest followed. Rena Morse
*****
It took me a while to find this one. I searched elevator operator in Google images and
had no success. I went back to the quiz several days later and tried woman on elevator
and found the picture. This was an interesting one and I am glad I tried again. Imagine
going to a museum and seeing yourself in a photo on the wall as part of an exhibition.
Milene Rawlinson
****
I guess I'm not a romantic. I remember this photo from when the exhibit was here at
the National Gallery. I thought the girl looked squashed and bored like I would if I had
to operate an elevator all day. Carlyn Cornelius
*****
Great story. I was able to use regular research sites, plus blogs and finally audio files
from NPR. I'll use this one with my students to show them the various places you can
get, compare, and evaluate information. Thanks. Mary Osmar
*****
Searching Google News for "Elevator girl" turned up the following news article as hit
number 2: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112389032.
Brett Payne
*****
Anyone born before 1960, who would probably recall elevator operators in deparments
stores calling out the floors: : "First Floor cosmetics, Mezzanine, cafe, Third Floor,
linens, Fourth Floor, lingerie, Fifth Floor men's suits, Sixth Floor, toys; etc.
Mike Dalton
*****
This one took me a little while. I tried various searches with ‘elevator operator’ usually
with ‘actress.’ I assumed that to be newsworthy the person in the photo would need
to be famous. What finally worked was to use the name ‘Frank’ which was part of the
photo filename. This with ‘elevator operator’ immediately found the photo in Google
images. I had to do a little more work to find out why this was newsworthy since the
initial hits with the photo only referred to Robert Frank. John Chulick
*****
No, I had never heard of Tineye (www.tineye.com), but it's certainly worth looking
into!! I also had Googled "elevator girl" and thought the quiz challenging enough
without being "impossible" or too time-consuming - AND, I learned something new!!
Thanks for the Tineye info - Elaine C. Hebert
*****
Well, in someways I am glad it was Sharon [Collins] and not the poor woman who died
of cancer because she was sitting near the elevator. Susie Melad succumbed to breast
cancer at the age of 61. Melad had worked at the University of California, San Diego
for years. She had been working in the Literature Building since 1991. Melad's son,
Stan, told the 10News I-Team that it was the elevators in that building that killed her.
Judy Pfaff
*****
Wow ! What a cool thing that Tineye is !!!! I uploaded around 10 random images from
my hard drive and got back 8. Last trial run ran 1.1215 billion images in 4.299
seconds. Cool internet tool, it will probably evolve into a good investigative or forensic
tool. It might give an unfair advantage in weekly FG quizzes though, LOL.
Robert W. Steinmann Jr.
-- to be honest, I checked the image title (here frankone.jpg) and performed a Google
image search for "frank elevator." The rest followed. Rena Morse
*****
It took me a while to find this one. I searched elevator operator in Google images and
had no success. I went back to the quiz several days later and tried woman on elevator
and found the picture. This was an interesting one and I am glad I tried again. Imagine
going to a museum and seeing yourself in a photo on the wall as part of an exhibition.
Milene Rawlinson
****
I guess I'm not a romantic. I remember this photo from when the exhibit was here at
the National Gallery. I thought the girl looked squashed and bored like I would if I had
to operate an elevator all day. Carlyn Cornelius
*****
Great story. I was able to use regular research sites, plus blogs and finally audio files
from NPR. I'll use this one with my students to show them the various places you can
get, compare, and evaluate information. Thanks. Mary Osmar
*****
Searching Google News for "Elevator girl" turned up the following news article as hit
number 2: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112389032.
Brett Payne
*****
Anyone born before 1960, who would probably recall elevator operators in deparments
stores calling out the floors: : "First Floor cosmetics, Mezzanine, cafe, Third Floor,
linens, Fourth Floor, lingerie, Fifth Floor men's suits, Sixth Floor, toys; etc.
Mike Dalton
*****
This one took me a little while. I tried various searches with ‘elevator operator’ usually
with ‘actress.’ I assumed that to be newsworthy the person in the photo would need
to be famous. What finally worked was to use the name ‘Frank’ which was part of the
photo filename. This with ‘elevator operator’ immediately found the photo in Google
images. I had to do a little more work to find out why this was newsworthy since the
initial hits with the photo only referred to Robert Frank. John Chulick
*****
No, I had never heard of Tineye (www.tineye.com), but it's certainly worth looking
into!! I also had Googled "elevator girl" and thought the quiz challenging enough
without being "impossible" or too time-consuming - AND, I learned something new!!
Thanks for the Tineye info - Elaine C. Hebert
*****
Well, in someways I am glad it was Sharon [Collins] and not the poor woman who died
of cancer because she was sitting near the elevator. Susie Melad succumbed to breast
cancer at the age of 61. Melad had worked at the University of California, San Diego
for years. She had been working in the Literature Building since 1991. Melad's son,
Stan, told the 10News I-Team that it was the elevators in that building that killed her.
Judy Pfaff
*****
Wow ! What a cool thing that Tineye is !!!! I uploaded around 10 random images from
my hard drive and got back 8. Last trial run ran 1.1215 billion images in 4.299
seconds. Cool internet tool, it will probably evolve into a good investigative or forensic
tool. It might give an unfair advantage in weekly FG quizzes though, LOL.
Robert W. Steinmann Jr.
| Thanks to avid Quizmaster Beth Long for suggesting this quiz. |
| ********** |
| Click on Browse and choose the file you want to compare to their library. Click on open. |
| After file uploads, hit the Return key on your keyboard. TinEye will search for matches in its library. |
| Click on Compare Images below one of the matches. You can toggle between your image and the image that TinEye found as a match. |
| Charleston, SC Robert Frank 1955 |
| Chattanooga Robert Frank 1955 |
| ********** |
| ********** |
| ********** |
| ********** |
| Robert Frank (b. November 24, 1924) |
Robert Frank’s “Trolley—New Orleans”, a jewel-like multi-portrait photograph
showing a row of passengers segregated by color, age and sex in a trolley car on
Bourbon Street, took the number one spot at “The Important Photographs from a
Private American Collection” sale at Christie’s Rockefeller Plaza on Wednesday evening
the 17th of October. Taken in 1955, the same year Rosa Parks refused to give up her
seat to a white man at the front of the bus in Montgomery, Alabama, the straight-ahead
gaze of Frank’s camera captures the flip side of the American dream in the 1950s
South. Transcending the distinction between media image and aesthetic object –
between art and photojournalism – to make from a single pregnant moment a complete
and enduring image – Frank’s superbly layered photograph is a stand-in for what many
believe to be his life’s crowning achievement.
Scooped up for $623,400 by Peter MacGill, the artist’s New York dealer (ghosting for
a client on his cell) one would be hard pressed to acquire a more succinct
representation of the big issues of fear, alienation and isolation facing Americans at the
height of the cold war. The widespread belief that American Communists were
conducting atomic espionage for the Soviet Union fueled paranoia and broadened the
gap between the rich and the poor, blacks and whites, and leaders and followers. This
on top of a race to see who could launch the world’s first satellite into space all served
as a concrete reminder of one of the most disquieting periods in American history.
“Trolley—New Orleans” is its portrayal.
Interest in the modest-in-size 8 by 10 inch double weight, semi-gloss vintage
photograph was fierce due to both the stature of the image within the oeuvre of the
artist and the rarity of prints made in close proximity to its 1955 exposure (see
addenda). Additionally, there is every indication – by the pinholes in the corners,
numerical markings on labels, size and apparent age of the photograph – that the gelatin
silver print offered here was either the one used in the making of the gravure printing
plates for the first French, Italian and American editions of his seminal 83-image book,
“The Americans”, or a very rare print used in the final stages of preparation.
“Trolley—New Orleans”, a photograph that follows in the tradition of Lewis Hine and
Jacob Riis, served Frank as an important avenue for expressing himself politically. The
policy of compelling racial groups to live apart from each other – going to separate
schools, the use of separate social facilities, etc., was perfectly captured symbolically
by Frank’s sharp lens as he walked up to that trolley and pointed his Leica at this
perfect site of institutionalized Southern racism.
The photograph is actually composed of five portraits....To read more, click here.
showing a row of passengers segregated by color, age and sex in a trolley car on
Bourbon Street, took the number one spot at “The Important Photographs from a
Private American Collection” sale at Christie’s Rockefeller Plaza on Wednesday evening
the 17th of October. Taken in 1955, the same year Rosa Parks refused to give up her
seat to a white man at the front of the bus in Montgomery, Alabama, the straight-ahead
gaze of Frank’s camera captures the flip side of the American dream in the 1950s
South. Transcending the distinction between media image and aesthetic object –
between art and photojournalism – to make from a single pregnant moment a complete
and enduring image – Frank’s superbly layered photograph is a stand-in for what many
believe to be his life’s crowning achievement.
Scooped up for $623,400 by Peter MacGill, the artist’s New York dealer (ghosting for
a client on his cell) one would be hard pressed to acquire a more succinct
representation of the big issues of fear, alienation and isolation facing Americans at the
height of the cold war. The widespread belief that American Communists were
conducting atomic espionage for the Soviet Union fueled paranoia and broadened the
gap between the rich and the poor, blacks and whites, and leaders and followers. This
on top of a race to see who could launch the world’s first satellite into space all served
as a concrete reminder of one of the most disquieting periods in American history.
“Trolley—New Orleans” is its portrayal.
Interest in the modest-in-size 8 by 10 inch double weight, semi-gloss vintage
photograph was fierce due to both the stature of the image within the oeuvre of the
artist and the rarity of prints made in close proximity to its 1955 exposure (see
addenda). Additionally, there is every indication – by the pinholes in the corners,
numerical markings on labels, size and apparent age of the photograph – that the gelatin
silver print offered here was either the one used in the making of the gravure printing
plates for the first French, Italian and American editions of his seminal 83-image book,
“The Americans”, or a very rare print used in the final stages of preparation.
“Trolley—New Orleans”, a photograph that follows in the tradition of Lewis Hine and
Jacob Riis, served Frank as an important avenue for expressing himself politically. The
policy of compelling racial groups to live apart from each other – going to separate
schools, the use of separate social facilities, etc., was perfectly captured symbolically
by Frank’s sharp lens as he walked up to that trolley and pointed his Leica at this
perfect site of institutionalized Southern racism.
The photograph is actually composed of five portraits....To read more, click here.
| Robert Frank’s “Trolley-New Orleans”, Sets a New World Auction Record for the Artist http://www.brianappelart.com/art_writing_robert_frank_2007_Oct_17.htm |
| ********** |
Frank was born November 24, 1924 to a wealthy
Jewish family in Switzerland. His mother, Rosa, was
Swiss, but his father, Hermann, had become stateless
after World War I and had to apply for the Swiss
citizenship of Frank and his older brother, Manfred.
Though Frank and his family remained safe in
Switzerland during World War II, the threat of Nazism
nonetheless affected his understanding of oppression.
He turned to photography, in part, as a means to
escape the confines of his business-oriented family and
home, and trained under a few photographers and
graphic designers before he created his first
hand-made book of photographs, 40 Fotos, in 1946.
Frank emigrated to the United States in 1947, and
secured a job in New York City as a fashion
photographer for Harper's Bazaar. He soon left to
Jewish family in Switzerland. His mother, Rosa, was
Swiss, but his father, Hermann, had become stateless
after World War I and had to apply for the Swiss
citizenship of Frank and his older brother, Manfred.
Though Frank and his family remained safe in
Switzerland during World War II, the threat of Nazism
nonetheless affected his understanding of oppression.
He turned to photography, in part, as a means to
escape the confines of his business-oriented family and
home, and trained under a few photographers and
graphic designers before he created his first
hand-made book of photographs, 40 Fotos, in 1946.
Frank emigrated to the United States in 1947, and
secured a job in New York City as a fashion
photographer for Harper's Bazaar. He soon left to
travel in South America and Europe. He created another hand-made book of
photographs that he shot in Peru, and returned to the U.S. in 1950. That year was
momentous for Frank, who, after meeting Edward Steichen, participated in the group
show 51 American Photographers at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA); he also
married fellow artist, Mary Lockspeiser, with whom he had two children, Andrea and
Pablo.
Though he was initially optimistic about United States society and culturer, Frank's
perspective quickly changed as he confronted the fast pace of American life and what
he saw as an overemphasis on money. He now saw America as an often bleak and
lonely place, a perspective that became evident in his later photography. Frank's own
dissatisfaction with the control that editors exercised over his work also undoubtedly
colored his experience. He continued to travel, moving his family briefly to Paris. In
photographs that he shot in Peru, and returned to the U.S. in 1950. That year was
momentous for Frank, who, after meeting Edward Steichen, participated in the group
show 51 American Photographers at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA); he also
married fellow artist, Mary Lockspeiser, with whom he had two children, Andrea and
Pablo.
Though he was initially optimistic about United States society and culturer, Frank's
perspective quickly changed as he confronted the fast pace of American life and what
he saw as an overemphasis on money. He now saw America as an often bleak and
lonely place, a perspective that became evident in his later photography. Frank's own
dissatisfaction with the control that editors exercised over his work also undoubtedly
colored his experience. He continued to travel, moving his family briefly to Paris. In
varnish. Frank personally
oversaw printing on July 18, 2007,
inspecting and approving each sheet at
Steidl’s press in Göttingen.
The publication of a new edition of “The
Americans” on 15th May, 2008, the
fiftieth anniversary of the first edition,
was the fulcrum of The Robert Frank
Project. It presaged a major touring
exhibition and accompanying catalogue
from the National Gallery of Art,
Washington D.C., “Looking In: Robert
Frank’s The Americans”, which opened
in January 2009.
oversaw printing on July 18, 2007,
inspecting and approving each sheet at
Steidl’s press in Göttingen.
The publication of a new edition of “The
Americans” on 15th May, 2008, the
fiftieth anniversary of the first edition,
was the fulcrum of The Robert Frank
Project. It presaged a major touring
exhibition and accompanying catalogue
from the National Gallery of Art,
Washington D.C., “Looking In: Robert
Frank’s The Americans”, which opened
in January 2009.
| Read more and buy now. Click here. |
1953, he returned to New York and
continued to work as a freelance
photojournalist for magazines including
McCall's, Vogue, and Fortune.
With the aid of his major artistic
influence, the photographer Walker
Evans, Frank secured a grant from the
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial
Foundation in 1955 to travel across the
United States and photograph its society
at all strata. Cities he visited included
Detroit and Dearborn, Michigan;
Savannah, Georgia; Miami Beach and St.
continued to work as a freelance
photojournalist for magazines including
McCall's, Vogue, and Fortune.
With the aid of his major artistic
influence, the photographer Walker
Evans, Frank secured a grant from the
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial
Foundation in 1955 to travel across the
United States and photograph its society
at all strata. Cities he visited included
Detroit and Dearborn, Michigan;
Savannah, Georgia; Miami Beach and St.
Petersburg, Florida; New Orleans, Louisiana; Houston, Texas; Los Angeles, California;
Reno, Nevada; Salt Lake City, Utah; Butte, Montana; and Chicago, Illinois He took his
family along with him for part of his series of road trips over the next two years, during
which time he took 28,000 shots. Only 83 of those were finally selected by him for
publication in The Americans. Frank's journey was not without incident. While driving
through Arkansas, Frank was arbitrarily thrown in jail after being stopped by the police;
elsewhere in the South, he was told by a sheriff that he had "an hour to leave town."
Shortly after returning to New York in 1957, Frank met Beat writer Jack Kerouac on
the sidewalk outside a party and showed him the photographs from his travels. Kerouac
immediately told Frank "Sure I can write something about these pictures," and he
contributed the introduction to the U.S. edition of The Americans. Frank also became
lifelong friends with Allen Ginsberg, and was one of the main visual artists to document
the Beat subculture, which felt an affinity with Frank's interest in documenting the
tensions between the optimism of the 1950s and the realities of class and racial
differences. The irony that Frank found in the gloss of American culture and wealth
over this tension gave Frank's photographs a clear contrast to those of most
contemporary American photojournalists, as did his use of unusual focus, low lighting
and cropping that deviated from accepted photographic techniques. Read more...
Reno, Nevada; Salt Lake City, Utah; Butte, Montana; and Chicago, Illinois He took his
family along with him for part of his series of road trips over the next two years, during
which time he took 28,000 shots. Only 83 of those were finally selected by him for
publication in The Americans. Frank's journey was not without incident. While driving
through Arkansas, Frank was arbitrarily thrown in jail after being stopped by the police;
elsewhere in the South, he was told by a sheriff that he had "an hour to leave town."
Shortly after returning to New York in 1957, Frank met Beat writer Jack Kerouac on
the sidewalk outside a party and showed him the photographs from his travels. Kerouac
immediately told Frank "Sure I can write something about these pictures," and he
contributed the introduction to the U.S. edition of The Americans. Frank also became
lifelong friends with Allen Ginsberg, and was one of the main visual artists to document
the Beat subculture, which felt an affinity with Frank's interest in documenting the
tensions between the optimism of the 1950s and the realities of class and racial
differences. The irony that Frank found in the gloss of American culture and wealth
over this tension gave Frank's photographs a clear contrast to those of most
contemporary American photojournalists, as did his use of unusual focus, low lighting
and cropping that deviated from accepted photographic techniques. Read more...
| ********** |