Personal Life
Man Ray, born as Emmanuel Radnitzky on August 27,1890 to a Russian-Jewish immigrant family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Following a career spanning more than half a century; Ray died on November 18,1976 in Paris, France - his home between 1920 and 1930. family shortened their surname due to fear of anti-semitism. Despite keeping his persona life private for the majority of his career, the influence from his parents' occupations is evident in many of his works.
Quotes from Ray
"Don't put my name on it. These are simply documents I make."
I would photograph an idea rather than an object, a dream rather than an idea."
"It has never been my object to record my dreams, just the determination to realize them."
"A creator needs only one enthusiast to justify him."
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"I paint what cannot be photographed, that which comes from the imagination or from dreams, or from an unconscious drive. I photograph the things that I do not wish to paint, the things which already have an existence."
"A camera alone does not make a picture. To make a picture you need a camera, a photographer and above all a subject. It is the subject that determines the interest of the photograph."
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"Regardless of the form in which it is ultimately presented, the object is intended to amuse, encourage, bore, be thought-provoking, but never to arouse admiration for the technical perfection usually called for by a work of art. I say, the world is full of extraordinary craftsmen, but there are only a few practical dreamers"
Influences on the Artist
Artists
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Movements
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Influences on the Industry
Favourite Images
These particular works by Ray I found particularly interesting (and also relevant to my chosen theme); I feel that the lighting combined with the composure of the images is excellent. Despite the second piece not being a photograph I found that it was the most accurate representation of what I intended for my work to become.