On a cold winter day in 1921, artist Man Ray placed some of his glass equipment on top of an unexposed sheet of photographic paper he found among the prints in his developing tray. This "mistake" produced something the artist would later dub a "rayograph," and was essentially a photo taken without a camera. The works' transformative nature led the Dada poet Tristan Tzara to describe rayographs as capturing the moments "when objects dream," and you can see those pieces on display at The Met from September 14 until February 2026.
Drawing from the collections of The Met and more than 50 U.S. and international lenders, the presentation will include more than 60 rayographs and 100 paintings, objects, prints, drawings, films and photographs to highlight the central role of the rayograph in Man Ray’s practice. The exhibition is made in part with the Lens Media Lab, Yale University, under the direction of Paul Messier and with photography conservators and curators.
"As one of the most fascinating and multi-faceted artists in the avant-garde movements of the early 20th century, Man Ray challenged traditional narratives of modernism through his daring experimentation with diverse artistic mediums," Max Hollein, The Met's CEO said in a press release. "Anchored by Man Ray’s innovative and mesmerizing rayographs along with new research and discoveries, this exhibition invites visitors to explore his ground-breaking manipulation of objects, light, and media, which profoundly reframed his artistic practice and impacted countless other artists."
Iconic objects and experimental works will be on display, as well as three newly restored films made by Man Ray. The exhibit is included with entry to The Met on Fifth Avenue.