I paint what cannot be photographed, that which comes from the imagination or from dreams, or from an unconscious drive.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the power of imagination and dreams in artistic expression, highlighting that art can capture the intangible.
Man Ray's statement reveals the essence of his artistic philosophy, suggesting that true art transcends mere reality captured through photography. It speaks to the idea that the artist's inner world, influenced by imagination and dreams, holds greater significance in the creative process, allowing for a deeper connection with feelings and subconscious drives.
In practice
During an art class, to inspire students to express themselves, one might say this quote to encourage them to delve into their imaginations.
I like contradictions. We have never attained the infinite variety and contradictions that exist in nature. Tomorrow I shall contradict myself. That is the one way I have of asserting my liberty, the real liberty one does not find as a member of society.
I do not photograph nature. I photograph my visions.
l photograph what l do not wish to paint and l paint that which l cannot photograph.
Of course, there will always be those who look only at technique, who ask 'how', while others of a more curious nature will ask 'why'. Personally, I have always preferred inspiration to information.
Dada cannot live in New York. All New York is dada, and will not tolerate a rival.
Nature does not create works of art. It is we, and the faculty of interpretation peculiar to the human mind, that see art.
It's the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors.
Architecture is about public space held by buildings.
I have tried to remove weight, sometimes from people, sometimes from heavenly bodies, sometimes from cities; above all I have tried to remove weight from the structure of stories and from language.
Whether it will convince or not, depends entirely on what it is in itself, what is there to be seen.
It is the task of the translator to release in his own language that pure language that is under the spell of another, to liberate the language imprisoned in a work in his re-creation of that work.
The idea is, if I can't heal from my art, then how can you heal?
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