Robert frank photographer biography sample

Biography of Robert Frank

Robert Frank, an American photographer, director, and cinematographer, was born in 1924 in Zurich, Switzerland, to a well-off Jewish family. His father, a renowned German architect, had fled to Switzerland to escape the Nazi regime, while his mother was Swiss. Although the family was relatively safe during World War II, they still faced the threat of fascism. Despite his family's wishes for him to follow in his father's footsteps, Robert had no desire to pursue a business-oriented career. Instead, he dreamed of becoming an artist and felt a strong potential within himself. Photography seemed to be the perfect means for the young and somewhat restless Robert to escape his family's increasingly business-oriented environment.

In 1946, he independently published a photo album titled "40 Fotos." The following year, Frank emigrated to the United States and quickly established himself as a fashion photographer for Harper's Bazaar in New York City. He traveled extensively in South America and Europe, creating another photo album in Peru before returning to the States in 1950. It was in 1950 that Frank got married and participated in a group exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Throughout this period, he also became disenchanted with the American way of life and its focus on money, which he had once sought to escape from.

In 1953, Frank worked closely with Edward Steichen to curate a significant exhibition of post-war photographers at the Museum of Modern Art. He was awarded a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation fellowship in 1954 and 1955, which allowed him to travel across the country and create a photographic panorama of American life. Many of these photographs were later included in his bestselling book, "The Americans."

From 1958 onwards, Robert Frank began to transition away from photography and became more involved in filmmaking. He directed several notable films, including the short film "Pull My Daisy" in 1959, the drama "Me and My Brother" in 1969, and the drama "Candy Mountain" in 1988. His most famous film is the documentary project "Cocksucker Blues," which candidly depicted the touring and personal lives of the Rolling Stones.

Frank's personal life also had its share of ups and downs. He divorced his first wife in 1969 and remarried June Leaf in 1971. They relocated to Canada, but tragedy struck in 1974 when their daughter Andrea died in a car accident in Guatemala. Around the same time, his son Pablo was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Pablo passed away in 1994, leading Frank to establish the Andrea Frank Foundation in 1995, named after his late daughter, to provide grants for artists.

In the later years of his life, Frank divided his time between Canada and New York City. He gained a reputation as a recluse, avoiding public appearances and interviews. Nevertheless, he continued to work on photography, and his last photo album, "A Tribute to Robert Walser," was published in 2012.

Today, Robert Frank is considered a photographic master and a classic figure in 20th-century photography. His work has had a significant impact on the medium, capturing poignant moments and exploring themes of identity, culture, and the human condition.