On October 1st, the art exhibition "Man Ray: New York by Day, Paris at Midnight", co-sponsored by Mumu Art Museum (Beijing) and Manlay International Association (Paris), opened at Mumu Art Museum (Hall 798) in Beijing. Coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the artist's first exhibition in Paris in 1921, this exhibition is the largest solo exhibition ever held in Asia by Manneuil Rédinsky (Emmanuel Rytinsky, 1890-1976), presenting more than 240 exhibits, including paintings, sculptures, films, prints, works on paper, documentary materials and poetry, which provide an in-depth review and exploration of his diverse artistic practices. Curated by Wang Zongfu and Marion Meyer, the exhibition will run until January 2, 2022.
Man Ray, Black and White, 1926, gelatin silver salt photographic paper (postprint), picture courtesy of the Manlay International Association (Paris).
As in the chapters in Man Ray's autobiography Self-Portrait, the exhibition follows the artist's life experience in four sections: "New York: 1890-1921", "Paris: 1921-1940", "Hollywood: 1940-1951", and "Return to Paris: 1951-1976". Each unit contains a different theme, showing the outstanding contribution of the artist to the development of modern art from multiple dimensions. For example, Man Ray's early acquaintances and dealings with the artist Marcel Duchamp in New York—their friendship gave birth to his photographs Marcel Duchamp's < Nude > Down the Stairs, and Portrait of Rose Seravia, as well as the important artistic movements he had participated in and documented as a pioneer— Dadaism and Surrealism. Other important themes include Man Ray's career in fashion photography for Vogue and Harper's Bazaar, and the muse and lover who played a key role in his life—Gigi, Lee Miller and Juliet Browna of Montparnasse, reflecting the profound influence of Man Ray's personal life on his artistic creation.
Man Ray, Observatory Time – Lover, 1934/1967, multicolored lithograph, pictured by the Manley International Association (Paris).
In addition, the exhibition explores how Man Ray extends the medium of photography to the intersection of pure art and documentary in a variety of ways. Man Ray considers himself a painter who reproduces his own work through photography. However, his practice of incorporating portraiture and "fashion photography" into his artistic language changed the way we think about photography today and influenced the use of photography and images in magazines and advertising.
The exhibition also features a dedicated exhibition hall showcasing Man Ray's close ties to the fashion world. Portraits of Coco Chanel, works by important artists such as Mela Oppenheim, jewelry designed by Elsa Triole, and perfume bottles by renowned fashion designer Elsa Schippelly are exhibited juxtaposed here.
Man Ray, "Ingres's Violin", 1924, gelatin silver salt photo paper (postprint), pictured by Manley International (Paris) Huiyun
Man Ray's art gives us a better understanding of the world through his lens, and the exhibition invites the audience to experience Man Ray's bold and innovative optical experiments. His shadow photography is seen as "pure Dadaist creation" and "cameraless photography". Spanning the period around the time of the two world wars, the exhibition explores historical events, personal relationships and how the artist's reflections on the nature of art intertwine and ultimately present in his work. In his creations, Man Ray reveals how the subconscious mind influences people's perceptions, and dreams become reality through thoughts, desires, and meanings. As the artist once said, "In the true spirit of Dadaism, the cycle of confusion is completed." ”
Man Ray, "Picasso's Painted Hand", 1935, gelatin silver salt photographic paper (postprint), pictured by Man ray International (Paris) Huiyun
After the exhibition at the Mumu Art Museum in Beijing, the exhibition will tour to tag · Saikai Art Museum. (Guangming Daily all-media reporter Ma Lenin)