Robert Frank is without a doubt the fore-runner of anti-aesthetic photography. His work marked a turn around in the way photography was viewed, changing the viewpoint that an image must be crystal clear and classically beautiful. Awarded money from the Guggenheim foundation he set off around America to document an unseen side of the continent from an outsiders perspective. After an estimated 27,000 exposures he niggled it down to just 83 to create The Americans a book that pushed and even recreated the boundaries of social documentary photography.
For me, one particular image encapsulates Franks proclivities in capturing the social, racial and economical struggles in America during the 50's. "Trolley- New Orleans 1955" contains semiotics that span the worldwide. The image, whit in front, black in back gives a clear depiction of the racial structure looming over America at the time. Frank has managed to emphasise this more so the symmetry created from the dark wood framing of the trolley car. This highlights a further segregation that viewed by people across the globe in the current day and years to come will undoubtedly continue to represent the same symbol of hostile racial inequality.
His Distinct parallels between black and white, rich and poor can be seen has a record of the social climate of the time, yet they hold a complete rebellion against recording these facts to coax the sympathy of others. Franks images merely capture the action in motion to be a record of the time. The complete refusal to adhere the restraints previously imposed on photographers like Evans working for the Farm Security Administration at the time, may have led The Americans receiving bad press when initially published, but Franks work has pushed and changed the boundaries for documentary photography worldwide.
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Robert Frank-The Americans
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