Responding to 'the Americans' by Robert Frank
Robert Frank's seminal work 'The Americans' shows a bleak view of the supposed American dream.
The idea that American's at the time were living in some kind of utopia is something that he managed to squash with great aplomb. His grainy black & white photographs tell the story of day to day life in America, they were ground breaking at the time still hold up to this day.
'America was in the midst of a dramatic change under President Eisenhower. While some photographers were attempting to show American as one people, Frank and his friends saw something different. Their vision of America through art and poetry reflected “alienation, loneliness and spiritual desolation”, writes photography historian Robert Hirsch.'
'Trolley' (above) shows segregation among the races. Many of these races fought side by side in the war, yet they are still divided in almost every form of life 10 years later.
'Idianapolis' (below) shows a black couple riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle, these motorcycles were sold as the American dream and generally riding a motorcycle is known to give someone a feeling of freedom. What makes this composition ironic is that the couple on the motorcycle would never experience the freedom that was promised to all americans, simply due to the colour of their skin.
Frank's work is fraught with binaries relating to that period in history...Free/Not Free, Black/White, United/Segregated, Utopia/Dsytopia. At the time his work was seen as controversial because American's didn't like the idea that they were being sold a lie, especially when it was being claimed by a non-national.
I think his work has stood the test of time so well because it still rings true today, Americans are still being sold that same lie.
Many modern creatives have openly spoke of the influence that 'the Americans' and Robert Frank have had on their practise. One who hasn't spoke about it is David Lynch but I think his film making resonates the same messages of American dystopia and also give viewers an uncanny take on small town American life.
A clip from the beginning of twin peaks...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-h9HeIThQk
Twin Peaks is arguably David Lynch's finest work.
I think it takes inspiration from the work of Robert Frank as it plays on the theme of a beautiful suburban town that holds a dark secret. The murder of school girl Laura Palmer.
Again this idea that for all beauty within American life all is not perfect.
To add to the mystery the show introduces the viewer to a variety of characters from different walks of life and plays on the thought that everyone has their own secrets within the unassuming town.
The idea that American's at the time were living in some kind of utopia is something that he managed to squash with great aplomb. His grainy black & white photographs tell the story of day to day life in America, they were ground breaking at the time still hold up to this day.
'America was in the midst of a dramatic change under President Eisenhower. While some photographers were attempting to show American as one people, Frank and his friends saw something different. Their vision of America through art and poetry reflected “alienation, loneliness and spiritual desolation”, writes photography historian Robert Hirsch.'
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| Trolley - New Orleans, 1955 - Robert Frank |
'Idianapolis' (below) shows a black couple riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle, these motorcycles were sold as the American dream and generally riding a motorcycle is known to give someone a feeling of freedom. What makes this composition ironic is that the couple on the motorcycle would never experience the freedom that was promised to all americans, simply due to the colour of their skin.
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| Indianapolis, 1956 - Robert Frank |
I think his work has stood the test of time so well because it still rings true today, Americans are still being sold that same lie.
Many modern creatives have openly spoke of the influence that 'the Americans' and Robert Frank have had on their practise. One who hasn't spoke about it is David Lynch but I think his film making resonates the same messages of American dystopia and also give viewers an uncanny take on small town American life.
A clip from the beginning of twin peaks...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-h9HeIThQk
Twin Peaks is arguably David Lynch's finest work.
I think it takes inspiration from the work of Robert Frank as it plays on the theme of a beautiful suburban town that holds a dark secret. The murder of school girl Laura Palmer.
Again this idea that for all beauty within American life all is not perfect.
To add to the mystery the show introduces the viewer to a variety of characters from different walks of life and plays on the thought that everyone has their own secrets within the unassuming town.
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