The Man Ray I knew, advised and represented

Endearing online talk from the Ben Uri Gallery and Museum with Lewis Kruger who was a friend of and attorney for Man Ray.

Kruger, who is professor emeritus of the Museum of Arts and Design in New York as well as being an attorney, talked us through Man Ray’s career from the photography in Paris in the 1920s, through his work in Hollywood and most interesting his ready-made works which I’d not come across before.

He then talked about how he and his wife, who was touchingly sitting behind him on the sofa during the Zoom talk, met Man Ray in the 1950s in Paris and realised that Man Ray was short of money so they took him groceries in fancy boxes. Kruger also realised that Man Ray had signed poor contracts for reproduction of his ready-made pieces such as the blue baguette shown here and acted for him to get back control and get prompter payments.

Kruger wasn’t paid for this work but was given a few works and bought various pieces from the studio which he showed us.

It was charming to be able to listen to someone talk about their personal experiences knowing such an iconic artist and Zoom added the extra element of seeing his lovely wife who was part of the story, his piles of papers and his rather impressive modern desk chair.

 

 

 

 

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