
As part of the PBS American Masters series, Man Ray: Prophet of the Avant-Garde
covers the life and artwork of this innovative modern artist with both
clips of interviews and archival footage of the times he lived in. Born
in Brooklyn as Emanuel Radnitsky, he grew discouraged by the New York
art world of the early 1900s, changed his name to Man Ray, and moved to
Paris. He was embraced by the Dadaists, many of whom later became
Surrealists. Although painting was his main love, he took up
photography, making portraits of famous people such as Ernest
Hemingway, James Joyce, and Henri Matisse. He developed a new
technique, the rayograph, in which he placed objects directly onto
paper and exposed them to light. He even made an avant-garde film with
this technique. Whether creating Dada sculptures, such as his famous
iron with a row of tacks enigmatically entitled Le Cadeau, The Gift,
innovative photographs, films, or sculptures, Man Ray always managed to
surprise. In order to earn a living, he turned fashion photography into
art. After living in California and New York during World War II, he
returned to live and work in Paris after the war. Included in this
program are wonderful shots of his Paris studio and home. Just under an
hour long, this program presents a good look at a remarkable artist.
The DVD format also includes an essay by Neil Baldwin, his biographer
and author of the script, which underlines the influence of the women
in his life. The crispness of the images and the intelligent insights
into the ideas of the avant-garde make viewing a great pleasure. --Anne Barclay Morgan