Walking Tour: Man Ray: When Objects Dream at the Met

May Ray: When Objects Dream (running September 14, 2025 through February 1, 2026) showcases the pioneering rayograph technique used by American artist Man Ray (1890–1976), who was known for his radical experiments that pushed the limits of photography, painting, sculpture, and film. By placing objects on or near a sheet of light-sensitive paper that he exposed and then developed, Ray turned recognizable subjects into wonderfully mysterious compositions which were described by poet Tristan Tzara as capturing the moments “when objects dream.” The exhibition situates 60 of his rayographs within 100 of his paintings, prints, drawings, films, and photographs from the 1910s and 1920s, including some of the artist’s most iconic works.