September 14, 2025–February 1, 2026
The Met
American artist Man Ray (1890–1976) stands as a pioneering visionary who defied conventional boundaries across photography, painting, sculpture, and film. Most notably, during the winter of 1921, Man Ray invented the “rayograph” technique, revolutionizing photographic art by producing images without the use of a camera. This process involved placing objects directly on light-sensitive paper, exposing them to light, and then developing the paper to reveal surreal and abstract compositions. These images transcend mere representation, evoking mysterious, dream-like visuals that blur the line between reality and imagination.
The rayograph technique emerged during a pivotal period bridging the Dada and Surrealist movements, embodying radical experimentation and a new visual language. The poet Tristan Tzara famously described these works as capturing the ephemeral state “when objects dream,” emphasizing their poetic and transformative character.
This ambitious exhibition is the first to contextualize Man Ray’s rayograph works within his broader artistic practice from the 1910s and 1920s. Featuring approximately 60 rayographs complemented by 100 paintings, prints, drawings, films, photographs, and objects from both The Met collections and over 50 international lenders, it highlights the central role of these experimental images in Man Ray’s career. Visitors will encounter some of his most iconic works, illuminating how the rayograph technique helped him break creative boundaries and explore new artistic dimensions.
In his own words: “Before my eyes an image began to form, not quite a simple silhouette of the objects as in a straight photograph, but distorted and refracted … In the morning I examined the results, pinning a couple of the Rayographs—as I decided to call them—on the wall. They looked startlingly new and mysterious.” This statement encapsulates the allure and innovation behind Man Ray’s process—fascinating both in its technical ingenuity and poetic possibilities.
Supported generously by visionary patrons including the Barrie A. and Deedee Wigmore Foundation, Linda Macklowe, the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, and many others, the exhibition also benefits from an insightful catalogue funded by the Mellon Foundation. It invites a fresh appreciation of Man Ray’s groundbreaking experiments that continue to inspire artists and audiences alike.
Experience the evocative world where photography transcends reality, inviting you into moments “when objects dream.” For more information, visit the official Man Ray: When Objects Dream exhibition page at The Met.
