Man Ray

ref. 75-0851 — Cologne DE: Steidl & Partners 2008. First Edition. 4to. Soft Covers. Clean inside copy. Slight scuffing on covers. Very Good. 216 pp.Color plates.German and English text. One was a famous artist and a pioneering photographer the other an ardent collector of photography a curator and author--known to his many friends as "Mr. Photokina" for his founding and curatorship of the legendary exhibitions at the Photokina photography fair in Cologne. Man Ray 1890-1976 and L. Fritz Gruber 1908-2005 nurtured a professional and personal friendship for more than 20 years enjoying that particular closeness that can sometimes arise between artist and connoisseur. Gruber was closely involved in projects such as Man Ray's solo exhibition at Photokina and the book Man Ray Portraits one of many now-collectable photography books Gruber edited. With an unsurpassed scholarly knowledge of Man Ray's work over the course of several decades Gruber and his wife Renate put together the collection that is the basis of this book. The collection itself now resides in Cologne's Ludwig Museum. In addition to Man Ray's photographs sculptural work and objects the book includes extensive correspondence between Man Ray and Gruber and several essays on their association. Against this broadly-drawn backdrop a moving personal picture emerges of the Grubers' diligent commitment to the work of this American artist. This volume provides many new insights on Man Ray particularly within the final creative phase of his life. Text by Herbert Molderings Photographs by Man Ray introduction by Gabriele Conrath-Scholl contributions by L. Fritz Gruber.Provenance: From the estate of Gerald Nordland 1927-2019. Nordland was a museum director art critic educator and author.Dean of the Chouinard Art Institute 1960-64 Director of the San Francisco Museum of Art now SFMoMA 1966-73 Milwaukee Art Museum 1977-85 and the UCLA Wight Art Gallery 1973-1977. He is the author of over 60 publications including books on Lachaise Nakian Diebenkorn and Frank Lloyd Wright. Cologne, DE: Steidl & Partners, 2008 paperback