_'The Americans'

_It was fifty years ago that Robert Frank released his iconic and historical work “The Americans”. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is honoring Frank by hosting “Looking In: Robert Frank’s The Americans, showcasing the photographic fruits of his cross-country journey from 1954-1955. In 1957, Frank casually showed his American photo essay to the young beat writer, Jack Keruoac, whom he met at a party in New York City. Kerouac was impressed and responded with– “Sure I can write something about these pictures,” and penned the introduction to the U.S. edition of The Americans. Robert Frank’s work is now widely considered an important, intimate peak inside small-town America, but originally it was not met with open arms by all– at the time of its release many of the images were considered controversial, while other critics just outright dismissed his work as a blurry mess of nothingness. Check it out for yourself at the Met from 9/22/09 – 1/3/10.