Femme mannequin Circa 1970

The circa 1970 exhibition poster for Man Ray at the Galerie Alexandre Iolas is a striking and minimalistic design that captures the essence of the artist’s avant-garde and surrealist style. Created for an exhibition held by Alexandre Iolas, a prominent gallery owner known for supporting surrealist and avant-garde artists, this poster serves as both an invitation and an artwork in itself, embodying Man Ray's fascination with the human form and the surreal.

At the center of the poster is a monochromatic photograph, one of Man Ray’s iconic surrealist compositions, which juxtaposes elements of the human body with mechanical forms. The figure depicted is distinctly stylized, with exaggerated features and a doll-like body. This motif is typical of Man Ray's work, which often blends elements of reality with abstraction, creating an image that is unsettling and ambiguous. The figure’s expression and posture evoke both vulnerability and theatricality, engaging the viewer in an intimate yet disorienting encounter. This approach speaks to Man Ray’s experimental use of photography to question the nature of human identity and the boundaries between animate and inanimate.

The composition is framed by a warm, earthy orange background, which contrasts sharply with the black-and-white image, making the photograph stand out. The text "MAN RAY" is displayed prominently below the image in bold, gold lettering, providing a simple yet powerful recognition of the artist’s name. The typography is clean and modern, emphasizing the timeless quality of his work and allowing the image to take center stage without unnecessary embellishments. Below the artist's name, the gallery’s name, Alexandre Iolas, is subtly inscribed, indicating the venue without detracting from the visual impact of the design.

Alexandre Iolas was instrumental in promoting surrealist and modern art in Europe and the United States, working with artists like Max Ernst, René Magritte, and, of course, Man Ray. His collaboration with Man Ray for this exhibition highlights Iolas’s role in advancing the careers of surrealist artists, bringing their unconventional works to a wider audience. This poster, likely used to promote the exhibition, would have appealed to art collectors, intellectuals, and admirers of surrealism who followed Iolas’s carefully curated shows.

Man Ray’s work, deeply associated with surrealism and the Dada movement, frequently explored themes of identity, the unconscious, and the interplay between art and technology. His approach to photography was groundbreaking; he used innovative techniques like the photogram (which he called “rayographs”) and solarization to produce hauntingly beautiful images that defied traditional photographic conventions. This exhibition poster reflects these themes, embodying the surrealist philosophy of challenging reality and evoking a dreamlike response.

Today, this poster serves as both a collector’s item and a piece of art history, representing the fruitful collaboration between Man Ray and Alexandre Iolas, as well as a visual reminder of the daring and experimental spirit of 20th-century surrealism.

Original Poster

Exhibition - Dada - Surrealism

Gallery Alexandre Iolas

Grafic Olympia Milano

Very good state