MAN RAY

Man Ray, born Emmanuel Radnitsky on August 20, 1890, in Philadelphia, is a key figure in modern art and Surrealism. After studying at the Ferrer Center in New York between 1910 and 1911, he adopted the name Man Ray and discovered his passion for photography through frequent visits to Alfred Stieglitz’s renowned 291 Gallery. In 1915, he met Marcel Duchamp, with whom he felt a strong artistic affinity, and joined the Dada movement.

The artist moved to Paris in 1921, where he became a leading avant-garde photographer. Man Ray distinguished himself through photographic innovations, creating rayographs and solarization—techniques that transformed traditional photography. He collaborated with figures such as fashion designer Paul Poiret and became a sought-after portraitist among the artistic avant-garde. He is credited with iconic portraits of major artists including Marcel Duchamp, Pablo Picasso, and André Breton. He also explored other artistic forms such as collage and painting.

In 1924, he aligned himself with the Surrealists, although he never officially joined the group. He took part in several group exhibitions and, in 1937, co-authored the manifesto “Photography is Not Art” with André Breton, arguing that photography should not simply reproduce reality but be considered an art form in its own right.

Man Ray had several significant relationships, notably with Kiki de Montparnasse and Lee Miller, both of whom influenced his work. It was with Lee Miller that he developed the technique of solarization, which reverses tones during the photographic development process.

Exiled during World War II, he returned to the United States and settled in Hollywood, where he focused more on painting. He moved back to Paris in 1951 and continued to evolve artistically until his death in 1976. His career was honored with numerous international retrospectives, including at the Los Angeles County Museum in 1966 and the Musée National d’Art Moderne in Paris in 1972. He is buried in Montparnasse Cemetery, where art lovers from around the world come to pay their respects.