Man Ray, born Emmanuel Radnitzy (American, 1890-1976) was a prolific artist who worked across movements and artistic mediums. He grew up in New York City until he moved to Paris in 1921 where he was introduced to a group of Parisian Dada artists by his collaborator and fellow Dadaist, Marcel Duchamp. Man Ray was immediately immersed in the burgeoning art scene in Paris with the Dada movement and he began to experiment with photography. He admired the artists, writers, and musicians that were characteristic of the movement and especially their rebellious spirits. His photographic inventions centered around the manipulation of light and included the rayograph, a form of ready-made where objects are placed on light-sensitive paper and exposed to light; and solarization, a technique discovered by Man Ray and the photographer Lee Miller in his studio where the negative is exposed to light to create a halo-like effect.

Man Ray continued his experiments in the genres of film and portraiture. His portraits capture the essence of his sitters, many of whom were major artists, writers, actors, and musicians in the Dada and Surrealist movements. His self-portraits often leave marks reminiscent of the artist’s hand and serve as reminders of the artistic techniques behind the medium of photography. Man Ray made several self-portraits throughout his career, documenting his inventions and offering us an intimate view of his life.

In 1940, before the German occupation of Paris, Man Ray left Paris and moved to Los Angeles. He wrote his autobiography which was published in 1963. He died in 1976.