Man Ray
United States
1890 - 1976

I. MIME Two manners of creating a flame-like effect: first by a radiation of bands of the spectrum starting from a common centre and contained within a sector; the other by concentric bands of the same spectrum. The center, identical for both, creates a personal interest. Armbands carry the interest to the surrounding space. The mood interpreted may be characterized as a laughing one. -Man Ray

Mime (I), 1972
from the portfolio "Revolving Doors"
Serigraph
25 x 18 in.
Sweeney Art Gallery Permanent Collection
Gift of Galleria il Fauno
75.1.1

Mime (I) is the first print in a series of ten serigraphs by Man Ray in the series "Revolving Doors" in the Sweeney Permanent Collection. Ray is most well known for his sculptures and photographs. Specifically, he is associated with the process of negative-less prints where the image is a result of laying objects directly on photosensitive paper. This technique is often called a Ray-O-gram for his frequent use of it. Additionally, Ray actively used many media including painting, printmaking and film. He spent most of his adult life in Paris encouraged to move there by his close friend and colleague Marcel Duchamp. In Paris Ray was a member of the Dada group and then the Surrealists. These two movements are distinguished by a juxtaposition of discongruent forms or ideas. This influence appears in the relationship between these prints and the text the artist has written for each one.

The concern with a period of time often leads to the effacement of material space. The accompanying images in two dimensions, by a mutual action, tend to prove this, giving birth to a series of facts escaping the control of any one diversion. -Man Ray 1916-1917



© UC Regents and the artist.