Traveling exhibits

2009-12-03T12:39:00.000-08:00

I researched a current exhibit of Richard Avedon’s work. I delayed seeing it to avoid lines of tourists and because of my mood. I was not in the mood to see celebrity photographs. During my research, I discovered another exhibit of an unfamiliar photographer, Robert Frank.

The exhibit documented Frank’s journey through America. He photographed objects, scenery and anonymous people, who did not realize they were the focus of his lens. Among his subjects was a woman emerging from an elevator. The moment he captured exemplifies why I admire photography. Photography surprises when it preserves moments, one would not think of remembering.

I came across a blog, while deciding whether I should catch the Frank exhibit on its last day of viewing. The blogger mentioned a “poetic” response by a male beat writer in regards to the elevator photo, which was published in the exhibit’s catalogue. The male writer’s speak represented the typical male voyeur, who scouts a woman among a crowd and wishes to pursue her. I groaned and concluded that maybe the woman did not wish to be bothered.

I had not seen my older brother in a while. The last time I saw him, he described a character from a bachelor party he attended. Hearing about a fool who regurgitated expletives, I constantly rolled my eyes and celebrated my single status. Like I said, some of us would rather stay diamonds in the rough, although the table scene of my bristling expression, in contrast to my brother’s pasted smile, would have made a memorable snapshot.

by RhQAyuyang (photo by Robert Frank)

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Traveling exhibits