Monument to Man Ray’s ”The Enigma of Isidore Ducasse” Philadelphia 1996

Curator: Looking at "Monument to Man Ray's 'The Enigma of Isidore Ducasse' Philadelphia," a 1996 mixed-media piece by Barbara Chase-Riboud, I’m immediately struck by its almost ethereal quality, despite the weight of the subject matter. Editor: It's intriguing. The lines seem to vibrate, creating this sense of tension. What materials are we looking at here? It looks like pencil and some kind of string or thread. The layering of material is central to it, surely? Curator: It appears to be primarily pencil and mixed media on paper, that capture a form evocative of Man Ray’s wrapped object. Chase-Riboud uses drawing to engage with modernist history, particularly surrealism and the avant-garde's engagement with objecthood. It functions as a tribute and interrogation. Editor: The bindings… they suggest concealment but also constraint. There’s something undeniably visceral about the tightly wound string juxtaposed against the delicacy of the paper. It feels like she’s forcing the viewer to acknowledge the physical reality inherent in the artistic process, the labour it entails. Curator: Exactly. And Chase-Riboud has consistently dealt with monumentality throughout her career, often exploring how public art can confront suppressed histories. In this context, she elevates Man Ray's object to the status of a monument, while at the same time abstracting it, rendering it almost ghostlike. The ghostly impression could represent an elegy and speaks volumes about the legacy and institutionalization of avant-garde ideas. Editor: So, even the act of memorializing—of monumentalizing—is inherently subjective and constructed. The strings could even stand in for museum barriers and display cases. Curator: Precisely! It highlights the inherent tension between honoring artistic genius and grappling with the complexities of artistic influence and artistic agency. Chase-Riboud brilliantly encourages us to reflect on how art institutions mediate our understanding of art history itself. Editor: The materiality definitely enhances this aspect. One is acutely aware that she is memorializing the act of memorializing through her choices of humble mediums. Thank you for your insight. Curator: My pleasure!