A reevaluation of Robert frank

[lawrence]

I believe Frank was a disgruntled European with the disdain so often indulged in by Europeans toward the country that saved their bacon twice in less than forty years. America is certainly not a perfect place, yet it has been the freest, most generous, most exceptional nation in history. Resenting that, Frank set out to photograph every bit of ugliness and tawdriness he could find -- and then to present it as if it were the true soul of America, rather than a vicious lie.

“I have been frequently accused of deliberately twisting subject matter to my point of view. Opinion often consists of a kind of criticism. But criticism can come out of love.” – Robert Frank

 

[biogo]

“I have been frequently accused of deliberately twisting subject matter to my point of view. Opinion often consists of a kind of criticism. But criticism can come out of love.” – Robert Frank

"The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 10 characters"

 

[Dave Jenkins]

"The Americans" is the greatest photo-book ever published.

Erik.

Probably not, but almost certainly the most influential. Unfortunately, not entirely in a good way, IMO.

 

[Dave Jenkins]

Probably not. Both Walker Evans and HCB published equally important books, as did Brassai, not to mention the posthumous publication of Atget's work.

They may have been as important, but not as influential, except for Cartier-Bresson's The Decisive Moment, which may be the only book that rivals The Americans in its influence.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Both Walker Evans and HCB published equally important books, as did Brassai, not to mention the posthumous publication of Atget's work.

Those are books with collections of more or less important photographs. "The Americans" is a unity.

Erik.

 

[Dave Jenkins]

I agree with you, Eric, that the books mentioned are collections of photographs, but The Decisive Moment electrified a generation of photographers with C-Bs candid technique and approach to photography. In The Americans, Frank applied that approach and technique.

I am by no means saying that Frank was not a great photographer. If he had not been great, his work would not have been so influential. My critique is that he worked from a jaundiced worldview. I don't like his worldview, I don't agree with his worldview. But he expressed that worldview with consumate effectiveness.

If we are honest and capable photographers, we will each make photographs that express our individual worldviews. Imitation Franks, Cartier-Bressons, Westons or Adams do not cut it.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Imitation Franks, Cartier-Bressons, Westons or Adams do not cut it.

Artists always imitate art of others, "are influenced by ...". Imitation and variation, that is the history of art.

Erik.

 

[jsrockit]

What's funny for me always is that The Americans is always seen as a negative representation of America, but when I look at the book... I just don't really see it. It feels just like a realistic depiction to me.

 

[nightfly]

It's funny I was going to say I see a lot of Frank in William Klein but Klein's New York book came out first or almost contemporaneously.

I don't think you'd have Winogrand and a whole host of street photographers without Frank. I see Frank in color photographers like Eggleston and Stephen Shore who in turn had a huge influence on modern photography to this day. So many of the photos in the Americans AREN'T these heavy social commentaries but just these very typical american scenes. These photos loaded with emptiness, space, dinners, jukeboxes, cars etc.

I also don't get the negative thing with Frank's work. Do people really want to see flowers and puppies and unicorns? The US has a history of slavery and later segregation. I'm not sure how portraying that as he encountered it is negative. I would think, coming from a relatively homogeneous european country like Switzerland it would really be striking in a way you couldn't ignore.

I don't think the book would have had the same impact if it only showed wealthy white people in their suburban homes with a cadillac in the driveway, though he does hit on things like that too. The Americans feels to me like a modern version of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass. It contains multitudes.

 

[Michael Markey]

What's funny for me always is that The Americans is always seen as a negative representation of America, but when I look at the book... I just don't really see it. It feels just like a realistic depiction to me.

I`ve never read it as such either and I`ve never heard him describe it as such himself.
He did some work here in the UK too of course .

Again I see that as a realistic depiction of life in the UK in the 1950`s

 

[Nowhereman]

If you doubt how influential or original or how great Robert Frank is just look at his iconic "Elevator Girl" photograph, and also see Jack Kerouac's comment here:

http://www.npr.org/2009/08/30/112389032/robert-franks-elevator-girl-sees-herself-years-later

If you don't know much about Frank, this Guardian article is also interesting:

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/dec/15/robert-frank-the-americans-auction

 

[__jc]

If you doubt how influential or original or how great Robert Frank is just look at his iconic "Elevator Girl" photograph, and also see Jack Kerouac's comment here:

http://www.npr.org/2009/08/30/112389032/robert-franks-elevator-girl-sees-herself-years-later

If you don't know much about Frank, this Guardian article is also interesting:

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/dec/15/robert-frank-the-americans-auction

Thanks a lot for those links, especially to the elevator girl photograph, nowhereman. I find this sort of follow-up quite fascinating.

 

[Nowhereman]

It's also worth reading the wiki article on Frank and The Americans:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Americans_(photography)


And this Guardian article on the American Road Trip and Frank's influence:

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/nov/30/open-road-photography-america-david-campany-review

 

[airfrogusmc]

It's also worth reading the wiki article on Frank and The Americans:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Americans_(photography)


And this Guardian article on the American Road Trip and Frank's influence:

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/nov/30/open-road-photography-america-david-campany-review

Click on the link in this post.
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2592647&postcount=51