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Man Ray: The Artist and His Shadows
A biography of the elusive but celebrated Dada and Surrealist artist and photographer connecting his Jewish background to his life and art
Man Ray (1890–1976), a founding father of Dada and a key player in French Surrealism, is one of the central artists of the twentieth century. He is also one of the most elusive. In this new biography, journalist and critic Arthur Lubow uses Man Ray’s Jewish background as one filter to understand his life and art.
Man Ray began life as Emmanuel Radnitsky, the eldest of four children born in Philadelphia to a mother from Minsk and a father from Kiev. When he was seven the family moved to the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, where both parents worked as tailors. Defying his parents’ expectations that he earn a university degree, Man Ray instead pursued his vocation as an artist, embracing the modernist creed of photographer and avant-garde gallery owner Alfred Stieglitz.
When at the age of thirty Man Ray relocated to Paris, he, unlike Stieglitz, made a clean break with his past.
Man Ray (1890–1976), a founding father of Dada and a key player in French Surrealism, is one of the central artists of the twentieth century. He is also one of the most elusive. In this new biography, journalist and critic Arthur Lubow uses Man Ray’s Jewish background as one filter to understand his life and art.
Man Ray began life as Emmanuel Radnitsky, the eldest of four children born in Philadelphia to a mother from Minsk and a father from Kiev. When he was seven the family moved to the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, where both parents worked as tailors. Defying his parents’ expectations that he earn a university degree, Man Ray instead pursued his vocation as an artist, embracing the modernist creed of photographer and avant-garde gallery owner Alfred Stieglitz.
When at the age of thirty Man Ray relocated to Paris, he, unlike Stieglitz, made a clean break with his past.
216 pages, Hardcover
Published September 14, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 20, 2022
It was fun to read this biography alongside my iPad so that I could look up everything that was cited. Some of the images I had seen before but some were new to me and that was exciting to discover the films, music and amazing art.
He thought that he would no longer paint scenes he saw. He thought that staring at the subject as he depicted it “might be a hindrance to really creative work.” 72
“To master a medium you’ve got to despise it a bit too.” He reflected. “That means that you’ve got to be so expert and sure of yourself in that medium that it is no longer interesting to you - it becomes a chore.” 174
He was a creature of habit, abiding by the creed famously espoused by Flaubert: “Be regular and orderly in your life like a bourgeois, so that you may be violent and original in your work.” 353
…cerebral and ironic mindset… 354
Much like Duchamp, Man Ray felt that “to be successful, art must be unsellable.” 361
He thought that he would no longer paint scenes he saw. He thought that staring at the subject as he depicted it “might be a hindrance to really creative work.” 72
“To master a medium you’ve got to despise it a bit too.” He reflected. “That means that you’ve got to be so expert and sure of yourself in that medium that it is no longer interesting to you - it becomes a chore.” 174
He was a creature of habit, abiding by the creed famously espoused by Flaubert: “Be regular and orderly in your life like a bourgeois, so that you may be violent and original in your work.” 353
…cerebral and ironic mindset… 354
Much like Duchamp, Man Ray felt that “to be successful, art must be unsellable.” 361
July 28, 2023
I have read a lot of the books in this series Jewish Lives published by Yale University Press, and there were very few that I did not like. This book is the exception just because Man Ray is not very likeable. One thing that does not sit well with me is he changed his name from Emmanuel Radnitsky to Man Ray. I have more respect for people who are proud of their Jewish heritage, but that is not his biggest issue. He had several relationships with women, and he basically was distant and physically abusive. On his positive side, he was involved in the Dada movement and French Surrealism, although he was not French. He was an expat American and hung around with Marcel Duchamp and Jean Cocteau. I was more interested in Jean Cocteau than wife beater Man Ray. Cocteau was a writer and also directed films, and there is a theater in Santa Fe NM (where I live) that is named after Jean Cocteau, and currently owned by George R.R. Martin, a resident of Santa Fe. I think I will read a book about Cocteau.
December 10, 2021
I read this for facts after seeing the Man Ray exhibit the Virginia museum of fine art. I finished it Dec 10.
And contrary to the note, I only read this once. I didn’t think it was particularly well written but I learned facts of his life & work, which is what I was after. I’ll go see the exhibit again and will have a clearer view of it.
And contrary to the note, I only read this once. I didn’t think it was particularly well written but I learned facts of his life & work, which is what I was after. I’ll go see the exhibit again and will have a clearer view of it.
November 16, 2021
The troubled life of Man Ray is covered in depth along with his artwork. Should be also required reading for any advanced psychology classes.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews