Man Ray

Man Ray (born Emmanuel Radnitzky; August 27, 1890 – November 18, 1976) was an American visual artist who spent most of his career in Paris. He was a significant contributor to the Dada and Surrealist movements, though he defied categorization throughout his life. Man Ray is best known for his avant-garde photography, and was a pioneer in the technique of rayographs, photographs made by placing objects directly onto photographic paper and exposing it to light.

His artistic practice spanned numerous media, including painting, sculpture, film, and writing. While his photography brought him commercial success, he considered himself primarily a painter. He produced fashion and portrait photography for prominent magazines like Vogue and Harper's Bazaar to support his more experimental work.

Man Ray’s influence extends beyond photography into modern and contemporary art. His innovative approaches to the photographic process, his surrealist imagery, and his willingness to experiment with different media have cemented his place as a pivotal figure in 20th-century art.