6/20/06

Man Ray/Manta Ray

Cue the underwater diver sound effects:

POOOOOFFF murgle-burgle-gurble-blurgmle-glurber-blurgel-lurger-burger....
BUEPHPHPHPH murgle-burgle-gurble-blurgmle-glurber-blurgel-lurger-burger....
MMMEWMBFPH murgle-burgle-gurble-blurgmle-glurber-blurgel-lurger-burger....
WOOOMBLEF murgle-burgle-gurble-blurgmle-glurber-blurgel-lurger-burger....

What's the deal with Man Ray's name? Was he an underwater diver as well as a Dada photogrammer? Can I make it over to Fort Worth to see his cameraless photogs at the Amon Carter this week? Probably not. Instead, my students will be making cameraless nature prints to use as the backgrounds in their underwater dioramas.

Focus on Photographs: Man Ray’s Électricité
February 18–June 25, 2006
See ten revolutionary images created by the innovative American photographer Man Ray (1890–1976), who made cameraless photographs, or photograms, by placing objects like toasters, light bulbs and irons on a piece of photographic paper or film and then exposing the film or paper to light.

Sun prints are such fun art voodoo that I may have to get a pack of paper for my own personal experimenting. Man Ray was born Emmanuel Radnitzky. His family changed its name to Ray, and, of course, Emmanuel was "Manny". Nothing oceanic there! Still, I see a manta ray gliding across blueprint paper.

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