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Robert Frank and Todd Webb: Across America, 1955

February 09, 2025 - May 11, 2025
A black and white shot of an open road from the perspective of the side of the road with mountains in the distance.
Todd Webb, Between Lovelock and Fernley, NV, 1956, printed 2023, inkjet print, courtesy of Todd Webb Archive. © Todd Webb Archive
A black and white shot of a cowboy standing against a trash can and lighting a cigarette on a city street.
Robert Frank, Rodeo, New York City, 1955–56, gelatin silver print, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum purchase funded by Jerry E. and Nanette Finger. © The June Leaf and Robert Frank Foundation
A black and white image of a silhouette of a man in a cowboy hat in front of a window at a diner.
Todd Webb, Diner, Ouray, CO, 1955, printed 2023, inkjet print, courtesy of Todd Webb Archive. © Todd Webb Archive
A black and white photo of an individual looking directly at the camera in a room surrounded by other individuals.
Robert Frank, New York City, c. 1947–51, gelatin silver print, courtesy of the June Leaf and Robert Frank Foundation. © The June Leaf and Robert Frank Foundation
A black and white shot of a field of old, broken down cars.
Todd Webb, Wrecked Car Lot, Stoystown, PA, 1955, printed 2023, inkjet print, courtesy of Todd Webb Archive. © Todd Webb Archive
A black and white shot of an open road from the perspective of the center of the road that goes on for miles.
Robert Frank, U.S. 285, New Mexico, 1955, gelatin silver print, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum purchase funded by Jerry E. and Nannette Finger. © The June Leaf and Robert Frank Foundation

In 1955, two photographers, Robert Frank and Todd Webb, received separate fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation for U.S. survey projects. Frank’s cross-country trip would result in the landmark book “The Americans.” Webb’s project remains almost entirely unknown. This special exhibition brings together for the very first time over 100 photographs that came from both projects, showcasing how the artists put their own unique stamp on their ambitious assignments. 

By 1955, both Frank and Webb were established and well-connected, but looking to grow beyond commercial photography. At 30 years old, Frank had a growing reputation as a photographer and had achieved success contributing commissioned photographs to magazines such as Harper’s Bazaar, and Life. At 49 years old, Webb had reached the top of the photographic field, and his work had been featured in several exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art. With this 1955 project, he wanted to challenge himself, free of commercial constraints.

As they set out on their respective cross-country journeys, Webb wished to “depict vanishing Americana and what is taking place,” while Swiss-born Frank stated his project would be driven by “what one naturalized American finds to see in the United States that signifies the kind of civilization born here and spreading elsewhere.” Webb’s tender, carefully composed images celebrated the individual oddities of the American way of life, whereas the grainy, off-kilter style of Frank’s images matched his examination of the darker side of America. 

While embarking on their separate cross-country surveys, Frank and Webb chose different methods of travel, different photographic approaches and styles, and were interested in different aspects of American culture. Despite the differences, the two artists’ images were strikingly similar. Examples in the exhibition of photographs by the two artists created in the same location further reveal the photographers’ diverse perspectives and approaches. While neither artist found the exact vision of America they expected, the truth they encountered was irreconcilable with idealized American images from popular media. Yet, in the distance between the myth and reality, both men found fertile ground for their art.

This exhibition is organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston