Man Ray, a prominent figure in Surrealist and Dadaist movements, collaborated with Marcel Duchamp to create the photograph Dust Breeding (Elevage De Poussiere) in 1920. The artwork captures the accumulation of dust on Duchamp’s masterpiece The Bride Stripped Bare By Her Bachelors, Even.
The piece was created during Man Ray’s visit to Duchamp’s Manhattan studio and was an important influence on British artist Cornelia Parker. The photograph earned critical acclaim for its unique perspective on art and immortalized the effects of time on artwork.
Dust Breeding shows the build-up of dust over time as it collects on a piece of art, creating a new interpretation of what art can represent. This innovative approach showed that art isn’t just static but dynamic, evolving over time. Through this work, Man Ray captured not only the beauty but also the vulnerability of artistic creation through evocative imagery.
