Empty spaces, unknowable faces: Robert Frank’s The Americans

Robert Frank (American, born Switzerland, 1924) U.S. 285, New Mexico, 1955 gelatin silver print 33.7 x 21.9 cm (13 1/4 x 8 5/8 in.) Mark Kelman, New York Photograph © Robert Frank, from The Americans Photograph: guardian.co.uk

Robert Frank (American, born Switzerland, 1924) Movie premiere—Hollywood, 1955 gelatin silver print 25.5 x 17.3 cm (10 1/16 x 6 13/16 in.) The Museum of Modern Art, New York, Purchase, 2002 Photograph © Robert Frank, from The Americans Image © The Museum of Modern Art/Licensed by SCALA / Art Resource Photograph: Robert Frank/guardian.co.uk

Robert Frank (American, born Switzerland, 1924) Parade—Hoboken, New Jersey, 1955 gelatin silver print 21.3 x 32.4 cm (8 3/8 x 12 3/4 in.) Private collection, San Francisco Photograph © Robert Frank, from The Americans Photograph: guardian.co.uk

Robert Frank (American, born Switzerland, 1924) U.S. 90, en route to Del Rio, Texas, 1955 gelatin silver print 47.6 x 31.1 cm (18 3/4 x 12 1/4 in.) Private collection, courtesy Hamiltons Gallery, London Photograph © Robert Frank, from The Americans Photograph: guardian.co.uk

Robert Frank (American, born Switzerland, 1924) Funeral—St. Helena, South Carolina, 1955 gelatin silver print 39.7 x 58.1 cm (15 5/8 x 22 7/8 in.) Susan and Peter MacGill Photograph © Robert Frank, from The Americans Photograph: guardian.co.uk

Robert Frank (American, born Switzerland, 1924) Political rally—Chicago, 1956 gelatin silver print 59.1 x 36.5 cm (23 1/4 x 14 3/8 in.) Betsy Karel Photograph © Robert Frank, from The Americans Photograph: guardian.co.uk

Robert Frank (American, born Switzerland, 1924) Trolley—New Orleans, 1955 gelatin silver print 21.9 x 33.2 cm (8 5/8 x 13 1/16 in.) The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gilman Collection, Purchase, Ann Tenenbaum and Thomas H. Lee Gift, 2005 (2005.100.454) Photograph © Robert Frank, from The Americans Photograph: guardian.co.uk

Robert Frank (American, born Switzerland, 1924) Charleston, South Carolina, 1955 gelatin silver print 41.3 x 59.1 cm (16 1/4 x 23 1/4 in.) Susan and Peter MacGill Photograph © Robert Frank, from The Americans Photograph: guardian.co.uk

Robert Frank (American, born Switzerland, 1924) Elevator—Miami Beach, 1955 gelatin silver print 31.4 x 47.8 cm (12 3/8 x 18 13/16 in.) Philadelphia Museum of Art, Purchased with funds contributed by Dorothy Norman, 1969 Photograph © Robert Frank, from The Americans Photograph: guardian.co.uk

Robert Frank (American, born Switzerland, 1924) Rodeo—New York City, 1954 gelatin silver print 33.7 x 21.3 cm (13 1/4 x 8 3/8 in.) Collection of Barbara and Eugene Schwartz Photograph © Robert Frank, from The Americans Photograph: guardian.co.uk