What's New at the Library

Monday, July 30th, 2012
Mill Valley Public Library
Creekside Room
7 PM (doors open at 6:45)

Man Ray | Lee Miller: Partners in Surrealism | July 30th, 7:00pm
Maureen O’Brien of the Fine Arts Museums of SF will explore the Legion of Honor’s upcoming exhibition: Man Ray | Lee Miller: Partners in Surrealism. The exhibition consists of approximately 115 photographs, paintings, drawings and manuscripts that explore the creative interaction between Man Ray and Lee Miller, two giants of European Surrealism. This is the first exhibition to focus exclusively on the pair’s artistic relationship. It also includes selected works by artists in Ray and Miller’s circle in Paris, including paintings by Pablo Picasso, Max Ernst, Roland Penrose, Dora Maar, and a small sculpture by Alexander Calder.

From 1929 to 1932, Man Ray and Lee Miller lived together in Paris, first as teacher and student, and later as lovers. Their mercurial relationship resulted in some of the most powerful works of each artist’s career, and helped shape the course of modern art. The two artists inspired each other equally, collaborating on several projects. Though they lived together for only three years, the exhibition examines the lingering effect each had on the other’s art. Connecting photography with other media, the exhibition reveals how the Surrealists combined imagery in unexpected ways, creating extraordinary feats of imagination.

Man Ray | Lee Miller: Partners in Surrealism is on view at the Legion of Honor from mid-July through mid-October.

Maureen O’Brien received both her B.A. in Art History and her Master’s Degree in the Humanities with an Emphasis in Art History from Dominican University. She presently teaches courses in both Western and Non-Western Art History to undergraduates at Dominican and lectures on Art History topics for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. She has been a docent with the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco since 2006.

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