Lecture Notes: Man Ray and Marcel Duchamp

Introduction

• 1915, New York
  • Young painter Man Ray meets artist Marcel Duchamp.
  • Language barrier: Man Ray spoke no French, Duchamp knew little English.
  • Bond formed over a game of tennis.

Marcel Duchamp's Impact

• 1917: Duchamp scandalized art world.
  • Submitted an ordinary plumbing fixture to an art exhibition.
  • Presented everyday objects as art, known as "ready-mades."

Man Ray's Artistic Journey

• Inspired by Duchamp's concepts.
• Began creating art from studio materials.
• Transition to photography:
  • Initially used to photograph his own art.
  • Evolved to create evocative images of ordinary objects.
  • Photographic response to Duchamp's ready-mades.

Key Works

• 1920: Photographed kitchen mixer and darkroom assemblage.
  • Titled these works "Man and Woman."

Collaboration and Influence

• Collaborated with Duchamp.
• Helped create Duchamp's alter ego, Ero Celebi.

Move to Paris

• 1921: Man Ray relocates to Paris.
  • Welcomed by poets, artists, anarchists.
  • Despite admiration, struggled financially.
  • Transitioned to portrait photography for income.

Accidental Discovery and Innovation

• Accidental creation in darkroom led to the Rayograph.
  • Dropped unexposed sheet created unexpected images.
  • Used random objects to create mysterious and new visuals.
  • Rayograph celebrated for being innovative and freeing from traditional paint.

Achievements and Experiments

• Conducted numerous darkroom experiments.
• Defied traditional photography rules:
  • Mixed incompatible chemicals.
  • Aimed to break every photographic rule.

Legacy and Influence

• Pioneered new directions in creative photography.
• Produced iconic, memorable images.
• Contributed to portraiture, fashion, and advertising photography.
• Pushed boundaries throughout the 1920s and 30s, achieving beauty and strangeness in his work.