Man Ray, an American of Jewish descent, is one of the most prominent artists of the twentieth century and a true revolutionary. He successfully practiced painting, sculpture, writing, and eventually started experimenting with camerawork (Cohen). He constantly tried new techniques and invented rayographs, which helped create bizarre and refracted images with intricate shapes and mystical halos (Cohen). After years of working in the genre of Surrealism and Dadaism, Ray elevated photography to the rank of art when it was considered merely a craft. His numerous artworks are a vivid representation of the Dada art movement that mixed absurd, in technical terms, methods, and practices (Lewis). One of Ray’s artworks that impressed me profoundly is The Gift (Ray). The image is the old iron, a seemingly trivial object, changed by the attached to its nails into something provocative.
In my opinion, The Gift represents the fundamental principles of Surrealism and Dadaism – the unrestrained creativity and the ability to provoke mixed emotions. By combining the two objects of polar purpose, such as a flat iron intended to smooth, and nails associated with sharpness and brutality, The Gift evokes unease, fear, and curiosity. However, the image also provokes a subconscious feeling that there is no right comprehension but a subliminal immersion into it. The reaction of the public to Man Ray’s images as to Dadaism, in general, was indifferent and quite negative at times. However, the desire to shock and break down the established rules was the principal objective of the movement and Man Ray. It takes time for the ordinary world to level with and accept great art. Nevertheless, The Gift, along with other artworks of Man Ray, served as a necessary bridge to unbound creativity and the future development of photography.
Works Cited
Cohen, Alina. “Man Ray Made Iconic Surrealist Photographs – and so Much More.” Artsy, 2020, Web.
Lewis, Jacqueline. “Dada: The Movement that Shook Art to the Core.” The Collector, 2020, Web.
Ray, Man. The Gift. 1921. The Museum of Modern Art, New York. MoMA, Web.