Robert Frank was a Swiss-American photographer and documentary filmmaker best known for his groundbreaking 1958 book The Americans. Born in Zürich, Switzerland, to Jewish parents, Frank was deeply influenced by the political climate of World War II and the oppression his family experienced. He began photography to escape his business-oriented upbringing, training under various photographers before creating his first hand-made photo book, "40 Fotos", in 1946.
In 1947, Frank emigrated to the United States, where he worked as a fashion photographer for Harper's Bazaar. However, he grew disillusioned with the constraints of commercial photography and began focusing on more personal documentary work. His travels across South America and Europe further shaped his artistic vision. In 1955, he received a Guggenheim Fellowship, which allowed him to travel across the United States, capturing the images that would later become "The Americans". The book, first published in France in 1957, offered a raw, critical look at American society, challenging traditional photographic techniques and perspectives. Its blunt portrayal of American life was revolutionary and controversial at the time, but it became a seminal work in the history of photography.
Frank also pursued filmmaking, creating experimental films like "Pull My Daisy" and "Cocksucker Blues". Over the years, his work influenced generations of photographers and filmmakers. His legacy endures through his unique perspective and his contributions to still photography and cinema.
