Who is Robert Frank?

Robert Frank was a Swiss documentary photographer. His work was often created when it was night time, creating a grainy film, and blur in his images. He photographed significant and relevant of events in history that he thought was important to be shown. It is stated that his " pictures were initially considered warped, smudgy, bitter. Popular Photography magazine complained about their “meaningless blur, grain, muddy exposures, drunken horizons, and general sloppiness.” Mr. Frank, the magazine said, was “a joyless man who hates the country of his adoption (The New York Times). People assumed that his photography was stripping away what people was known to be in America, which was perfection. They viewed his work as trying to criticize America but in reality he was trying to honor and show what was try to America from his perspective. 

Looking at his work, I would think that he was an American. I get a sense of patriotism looking at his work. Specifically the image above I find really interesting. it makes me wonder if this was a staged photo or if the two people in the windows happened to be there and he just wanted to snapshot it. I find it fascinating how the woman (assuming based on the coat) is not shown fully, her face is hidden behind the flag. She is either eating something, smoking a cigarette or something but I am also thinking why she chose to stand directly in front of the flag by her window. The man is just looking out the window possibly directly towards the camera but I like how the image isn't focused o his eyes, it seems as if the image is mainly focused on the flag and wonder if that is the main importance of the photograph. What is he trying to say about America?

Gefter, Philip. “Robert Frank Dies; Pivotal Documentary Photographer Was 94.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 10 Sept. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/09/10/arts/robert-frank-dead-americans-photography.html.