Dimensions: object: 259 x 65 x 65 mm
Copyright: © Man Ray Trust/ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2014 | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Curator: The Tate Collection presents Man Ray's intriguing object, "New York," featuring a glass tube filled with metallic spheres. Editor: It gives the immediate impression of containment, doesn't it? A controlled, almost scientific display. Curator: It evokes a sense of potential, like the potential of atoms, or perhaps a more psychological interpretation of confinement. The mirrored spheres, reflecting infinite possibilities. Editor: I'm curious about the choice of material, though. Why metal? Is it about the industrial might of the city, its density and weight? Curator: That’s precisely the inquiry. It speaks of the modern condition, reflecting its complexities. Editor: Ultimately, for me, it's about asking what the city truly contains, physically and metaphorically. Curator: A dense core for sure.
Comments
Join the conversation
Join millions of artists and users on Artera today and experience the ultimate creative platform.
Man Ray made the original version of this work immediately before he left New York to join the Paris Dada group. It consisted of an olive jar in which the olives had been replaced by ball bearings. The jar was labelled ‘New York’ perhaps because the upright shape evoked a miniature skyscraper. Man Ray took the object with him to France, where he explained to a customs officer that it would give him the illusion of having something to eat, should he meet with hard times. Gallery label, November 2012
CollectMore like this
