![]() The main themes of Robert Frank’s The Americans, indicated by what he chose to photograph, included automotive culture, marginalized or overlooked people, the American flag, cowboys, machines, religion and religious institutions, and interactions between people. Parade – Hoboken, New Jersey (1955) © Robert Frank Indianapolis (1958) © Robert Frank San Francisco (1956) © Robert Frank Of our lives that the privileged tend to ignore. He is able to use his outsider status to shine a light on American ideals andĬulture in the 1950s with an ethnographic eye, often giving attention to aspect Finally, what makes his work iconic is that Frank’s experience getting arrested isĬorrelated to his work showcasing politics and political divide. Representation of Americans, where many others may not have. Not speak about his Judaism, he still includes a photo of ‘Yom Kippur’ in his Reason he is able to photograph the subtle moments he chooses, which then speak His Jewishness and immigrant status are the Religion, and car culture call out traditional American ways. Space between destinations – which would be physical space or metaphorical Status as an outsider can show an honest depiction of the insiders, teaching usįrank photographs, among the earlier themes I mentioned, the liminal The American flag, and interactions between diverse people. Images he captures encapsulates our obsessions with cars, machinery, religion, I will use this lens and his personal context as a Jewish immigrant to honor three photographs from The Americans: San Francisco (1956) Parade – Hoboken, New Jersey (1955), Indianapolis (1958).įrank’s work here is captivating to me because he hones in on themes thatĪre inherently ‘American,’ which myself and many others accept as standard. She explains that he has a clearer ability to see the truth from his status as a European immigrant at the margins. He also learned about the country by taking trips throughout it and stated that the places that interested him the most were “on the way.” Critics – like Susan Greenbough, praise Frank’s ability to stand on the margins of society and notice aspects about people that they are not able to see. He explains it is better to photograph in a small atmosphere to get a more intimate look at his subjects. In an interview with the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Frank discusses his work in The Americans. As seen in his photographs, his status as an outsider and a Jew give him the ability to see the interplay between Americans with different cultural identities. Frank’s Jewish-Swiss immigrant background is what allows him to notice the subtle moments he captures. I will be researching Robert Frank and his photobook The Americans, specifically through the lens of an outsider looking in and the push-pull of opposing concepts within his photographs. ![]()
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