Man Ray’s photography was often groundbreaking, very strange, and quite gorgeous; sometimes all at once. His portrait of a young Salvador Dalí during that artist’s first Parisian visit* is breathtaking.
Many years ago I showed this wonderful photo of Kiki of Montparnasse which is under discussion to a girlfriend, who took umbrage. She said it was a great example of the objectification of women. I disagreed, but it took decades before I could articulate why.
I eventually realized that this photograph is the exact opposite of the objectification of women: it shows that the violin imitates a woman’s shape.
*Dalí came dashing up Man Ray’s stairs, shoved a handful of francs at him, and begged him to pay his cabbie. Dalí was afraid he’d be cheated, because he wasn’t yet familiar with French money.
