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Man Raywww.manraytrust.com/
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Man Ray in his studiowww.manraytrust.com/
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Background Basics

• He was most prevalent in the art world during the
  1920s, 1930s, and 1940s
• Primarily participated in the movement of Dada
  and Surrealism
• He spent most of his career in Paris until World
  War II when he returned to the U.S.A.
• Best known as a photographer

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Early Life

• Was born Emanuel Rabinovitch 1890 in Philadelphia
  grew up in New Jersey
• Oldest child of a Jewish immigrant tailor
• Was not a good student, decides not to go to
  college instead chooses the Bohemian life

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Life in New York

• 1910 begins working as a commercial artist
• Meets Marcel Duchamp one of his greatest
  influences
• 1912 adopts name Man Ray (he refuses to
  acknowledge that he ever had another name than
  Man Ray)
• Helps Duchamp bring Dada movement to America
• Dada cannot live in New York. All New York is
  dada, and will not tolerate a rival.

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Dadaism
Was, officially, not a movement, its artists not
artists and its art not art
Marcel Duchamp Fountain 1917
Dadas only rules were that you must not follow
any known rules
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Man Ray Dust Breeding (Elevage de poussiere),
1920 24 x 30.5 cm, Black and white photograph
Traces and Time
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Paris

• Moves to Paris after separating from his wife
• Through Duchamp, he meets many artists including
  Kiki who becomes his model, muse, and lover for
  six years
• Took many photos of Kiki. Often used the outline
  of her body to represent other objects

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In Paris

• He met many of his contemporaries who only
  encouraged and celebrated his surrealist art.
• He fell in love with Kiki who was his muse,
  lover, and model for most of the 1920s.

Man Ray Le Violin dIngres 1924 gelatin-silver
print
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Rayographs or Photograms

• Was interested in minimalism and abstraction
• Experimental prints were called rayographs
• These were made by placing 3-D obdjects on light
  sensitive photo paper and exposing it to light.

Champs Delicieux no. 5
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Rayographs
Spiral Spring
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Rayographs
Champs Delicieux no. 1
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Man Ray Anatomies 1929 gelatin-silver print 22.6
x 17.2 cm
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Man Ray Fingers 1930gelatin-silver print 11 1/2
x 8 3/4 in.
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Man Ray Larmes (Tears) 1932-33 gelatin-silver
print
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Man Ray Prayer 1930 gelatin-silver print
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Man Ray Minotaur 1934 gelatin-silver print
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Man Ray Yves Tanguy 1936 gelatin-silver print
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• Experiments with moving pictures, painting,
  sculpture and makes portraits with the
  surrealists
• WWII forces him to leave the country he moves
  to Hollywood

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Hollywood

• Spends 10 years in Hollywood as a fashion
  photographer
• Continues use of minimalist techniques and
  interesting lighting
• Helps revolutionize this industry

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Later life

• After the war moves back to Paris
• Continues creating art in Paris until his death
  in 1976

1975
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The Revolutionary Photographer

• Most artists try to create paintings that looked
  like photographs, but Man Ray wanted his
  photographs to look like paintings.
• He forever changed the world of fashion
  photography.
• His photographs maintained his surrealist nature
  that his paintings portrayed.
• His photographs showed minimalism, chance, and
  absurdity.

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Works sited

• ""Art and Synesthesia in search of the
  synesthetic experience" by Dr. Hugo Heyrman." Net
  Art - Dr. Hugo Heyrman ( ( (Motions of the Mind)
  ) ). Web. 31 Jan. 2010. lthttp//www.doctorhugo.org
  /synaesthesia/art/index.htmlgt.
• Baldwin, Neil. Man Ray, American artist. New
  York Da Capo, 1991. Print. Gale, Matthew. Dada
  Surrealism AI (Art and Ideas). New York
  Phaidon, 1997. Print.
• "Man Ray /." / ?-- General Special
  Interest. Web. 31 Jan. 2010. lthttp//www.fyms.de/m
  an-ray/gt. Man Ray Trust - Offical Site. Web. 31
  Jan. 2010. lthttp//www.manraytrust.com/gt.
• "OnCulture.eu - Finland - Surrealism and Beyond."
  OnCulture.eu. Web. 31 Jan. 2010.
  lthttp//www.onculture.eu/story.aspx?s_id1027z_id
  8gt.
• Sam, Hunter,. American art of the 20th century.
  New York H. N. Abrams, 1972. Print.