Man Ray

MAN RAY (Philadelphia, USA, 1890 - Paris, 1976).
"Mask", 1971.
Relief in bronze.
Edition of 90 copies.
Signed in the lower left corner.
Measurements: 17.5 x 13 cm; 42 x 37 x 4 cm.

As the multifaceted artist that he was, Man Ray dabbled in all kinds of techniques and languages. In this bronze relief made towards the end of his life, he offers us a dreamlike image: the face of a sleeping man caressed by multiple hands that, like angels, watch over his dreams.

A visionary artist, master of experimental photography, painter, filmmaker, poet, essayist, philosopher, and a leader of American modernism, he was known for representing the vibrant French cultural scene from his unique point of view. Man Ray began training in drawing with Robert Henri at the Ferrer Center, while, at the same time, he regularly attended Alfred Stieglitz's gallery 291. Influenced by Stieglitz's photographs, his works embraced unusual subject matter in an unabashed manner. His skills in art led him to experiment within the realm of plastic works, working in a cubist style, which drifted towards an abstract tendency. Ray also experimented with various techniques in the process of execution and photographic development, such as the so-called Sabatier effect, or solarization, providing a silvery and ghostly effect to the image, as well as rayograms. Man Ray exhibited his art in galleries in New York, London, Paris, among other cities. His innovative works can be found in museums around the world, as well as in private collections, and he is remembered for his artistic ingenuity and originality.