Man Ray
Birthday: 1890-08-27 Place of Birth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Synopsis
Man Ray (born Emmanuel Radnitzky, August 27, 1890 – November 18, 1976) was an American modernist artist who spent most of his career inParis, France. He was a significant contributor to the Dada and Surrealist movements, although his ties to each were informal. He produced major works in a variety of media but considered himself a painter above all. He was best known in the art world for his avant-garde photography, and he was a renowned fashion and portrait photographer. Ray is also noted for his work with photograms, which he called "rayographs" in reference to himself.
Acting
Juliet
A late period home movie with Man Ray and his lovely friend Juliet Browner lounging together in the US. Man Ray had returned to America when the Germans occupied France.
Dance
Home movie from Man Ray featuring dancer Jenny gyrating in black and white.
Ady
Very brief view of Man Ray and his friend Ady Fidelin while at a seaside resort
La Garoupe
Home movie from Man Ray while on vacation with Pablo Picasso, Paul, Nusch and Cecile Eluard, Emily Davies, Valerie and Roland Penrose. The friends have fun with themselves and performing for the camera.
Self-portrait or What we all miss
Mix of surrealist images of bubbles and smoke with some documentation of the world lived by Man Ray and Lee Miller
Entr'acte
Stop-motion photography blends with extreme slow-motion in Clair's first and most 'dada' film, composed of a series of zany, interconnected scenes. We witness a rooftop chess match between Marcel Duchamp and Man Ray, a hearse pulled by a camel (and chased by its pallbearers) and a dizzying roller coaster finale. A film of contradictions and agreements.
