MAN RAY

A bit about Man Ray… Born Emanuel Rabinovitch in 1890, Man Ray spent most of his young life in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. In New York he began to work as an artist, meeting many of the most important figures of the time. He learned the rudiments of photography from the art dealer and photographer, Alfred Stieglitz, and began to experiment on his own. Known for documenting the cultural elite living in France, Man Ray spent much of his time fighting the formal constraints of the visual arts. He was a significant contributor to both the Dada and Surrealist movements, although his ties to each were informal. Best known in the art world for his avant-garde photography, He was also a renowned fashion and portrait photographer.

“I do not photograph nature. I photograph my visions.” Man Ray

Rayographs Man Ray had an interest in minimalism and abstraction and he began experiments with what he termed “Rayographs”. A Rayograph was made by placing a three-dimensional object or series of objects on top of a piece of photographic paper and exposing it to light. These images lyrically and impressionistically represented objects such as ropes, light bulbs, and thumb tacks. Many artists responded positively to Man Ray’s daring combination of minimalism, chance, and absurdity.

Champs Delicieux no5 (Delicious Fields) 1922

Champs Delicieux no3 (Delicious Fields) 1922

Le retour a la raison (The Return to Reason) 1923

Electricity La Ville (The Town) 1931

"I paint what cannot be photographed, that which comes from the imagination or from dreams, or from an unconscious drive. I photograph the things that I do not wish to paint, the things which already have an existence.” - Man Ray

Solarisation Solarisation is a phenomenon in photography in which the image recorded on a negative or on a photographic print is wholly or partially reversed in tone. Dark areas appear light or light areas appear dark.

Man Ray Self Portrait 1932

The effect was usually caused by exposing an exposed plate or film to light before processing. Man Ray perfected the technique which was discovered in his darkroom. Man Ray's solarizations are among the most highly prized images in the history of photography.

Study of Hands 1933

Irene Zurkinden 1930

The Kiss 1930

Untitled 1930