Man Ray's innovative techniques, including multiple exposure and solarization, as well as his coined term "rayography," disrupted the avant-garde Parisian scene with his ethereal expressions merging photography, poetry, and design. He pushed the boundaries between these art forms and opened a new chapter in the history of camerawork and art, solidifying his place as a pioneer in the modernist movement.
Man Ray (1890–1976) was a multidisciplinary artist of the modernist movement, excelling in painting, sculpture, film, printmaking, and poetry. However, it was his groundbreaking contributions to photography, specifically in the realms of nude studies, fashion, and portraiture, that cemented his place in the evolution of both photography and art as a whole.
This monograph provides an overview of Man Ray's multifaceted career and legacy through a wide-ranging collection of both his well-known and lesser-known works. It tracks his artistic journey from his early days in New York to his involvement in the Parisian avant-garde, where he exhibited alongside notable figures such as Jean Arp, Max Ernst, André Masson, Joan Miró, and Pablo Picasso, producing iconic pieces such as Noire et blanche and Le Violon d'Ingres. Through his experimentation with various techniques, including multiple exposure, solarization, and "rayography," Ray expanded the boundaries of photography from a documentary medium to one that was ethereal and poetic.
Man Ray (born Emmanuel Radnitzky, 1890 – 1976) was an American visual artist who spent most of his career in Paris. He was a significant contributor to the Dada and Surrealist movements, although his ties to each were informal. He produced major works in a variety of media but considered himself a painter above all. He was best known for his pioneering photography, and was a renowned fashion and portrait photographer. He is also noted for his work with photograms, which he called "rayographs" in reference to himself.
Katherine Ware is a curator of photography at the New Mexico Museum of Art. Her publications include works on Man Ray and László Moholy-Nagy.
About the Editor
Manfred Heiting
Manfred Heiting is an internationally acknowledged designer, curator, and expert on and collector of photographs and photobooks; he lives in Malibu and Brussels. He is a founding member of the J. Paul Getty Museum Council and since 2016 UCLA Distinguished Lecturer in the Humanities. He is editor and designer of Deutschland im Fotobuch, The Soviet Photobook, and The Japanese Photobook and co-editor and designer of Autopsie: Deutschsprachige Fotobücher 1918-1945.
About the Publisher
Taschen
For more than 40 years, Taschen has published high-quality art books. Whether in lavishly produced editions for collectors with nearly limitless budgets, or more compact editions with much more gentle price tags, Taschen never compromises on quality. Watch this video to learn more about how Taschen books are made.
More from Taschen
For more than 40 years, Taschen has published high-quality art books. Whether in lavishly produced editions for collectors with nearly limitless budgets, or more compact editions with much more gentle price tags, Taschen never compromises on quality. Watch this video to learn more about how Taschen books are made.
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