Clark Winter’s photographs of Robert Frank in Mabou, Cape Breton, reveal a previously unseen, tactile dimension of a creative mind that remained fearlessly at work until the very end. This intimate journey is now beautifully preserved in “Free Air. Robert Frank - Hands at Work”, authored by Winter and published by Steidl.
Since 1973, Frank’s Bleecker Street studio served as the urban crucible of his creativity. Yet, perhaps even more vital—and held for even longer—was the weather-worn fisherman’s cottage in Mabou, Nova Scotia, which he and artist June Leaf acquired in 1969. For over half a century, this remote sanctuary was where they worked and reflected, quietly weaving their lives into the fabric of the local community.
While Frank is immortalized for the brilliance of his “eye”—his singular ability to document the world with profound empathy—lesser known is the remarkable work he produced with his hands.
In these pages, Frank emerges as a sculptor of memories, utilizing found objects, vintage prints, and the camera as a set of interconnected tools.
