(Wo)Man Ray

Original Man Ray,1924

HAPPY SPRING LOVELY READERS!

My good friend Hannah recently asked me to do something I've never attempted before (drum roll please) a photo recreation! We were both slightly nervous: me about living up to Man Ray's gloriousness and Hannah about revealing her butt crack to the good people of the Internet.

Butt crack, you say?

Man Ray is a fabulous American artist that has dabbled in everything from photography to painting and sculpture. He has been called many things: a modernist, surrealist, avant-garde enthusiast, but for now – we will just call him an arist. (pronounced art-eest because in this blog, we are fancy). In his piece, Le Violon d'Ingres (1924), Man Ray crafted a nude photograph of a model named Kiki. If that ain't a 1920's hooker name, I don't know what is.

Ray took the photograph and painted f-holes directly onto the print.F-holes are found on stringed instruments, like the violin. Then, he rephotographed the print for the final eerie result, a woman turned object.

At first glance, the photo is simply of a woman's back. But when you look closer you will notice that Kiki has no arms. (Shriek!) This almost disturbing element transforms Kiki into Man Ray's personal toy. With the stroke of a paintbrush, Ray has turned Kiki from a woman to a plaything.

Some say that this photograph managed to blend the objectification and appreciation of women in a single image. Objectification or not, Kiki and her f-holes* attest to the beauty that is emulated in women everywhere. Her hair lifted off her shoulders, her face relaxed, and her hips wide – Kiki is someone who represents the beauty that women can relate with. With that, Hannah and I set out to emulate Le Violon d'Ingres and what perfect way to start than with a gorgeous model with hips that put Kiki's to shame – Miss Hannah.

We bought some cheap eye makeup from the drug store and I drew the f-holes on her back. This set of photos used ambient light, which was happily provided by the cloud-free sky. Finally, we set the mood by playing a little French music – hey, it couldn't hurt.

After shooting about 400 photos of Hannah in Kiki's rigid position, played around with different positions and props. By chance, Hannah's roommate plays violin. So we (carefully) got it out and used it in a couple different shots. Although it's not always best to rely on props, they certain do add a little sumtin-sumtin to your already amazing photos.

The end result is gorgeous, but that's mostly Hannah's doing. Hope you enjoy this little (Wo)Man Ray treat.

Stay tuned for more photo adventures :~)

-Em

*No matter what context I use f-holes in, it always sounds dirty.