A Talk About Ray

This event will be ASL interpreted!

Saturday, October 19, 2024
Talks Stage, 1:15pm

Art lovers won’t want to miss this vivid visual tour through the work of enigmatic artist Ray Johnson, known as “New York’s most famous unknown artist,” by Ellen Levy, author of A Book about Ray.  Through collage, correspondence art, and an irrepressible Dadaist spirit, Johnson was a pioneer in situating the everyday as art and subverting traditional art structures;  his influences and peers include Marcel Duchamp, Jasper Johns, and Andy Warhol.  Levy will trace Johnson’s career from his early days at Black Mountain College to his final years, exploring his playful and elusive relationship with art and poetry.  Whether you’re already familiar with Johnson’s work or not, don’t miss this chance for a great introduction about a true American original.

About the Author

 Ellen Levy is the author of Criminal Ingenuity: Moore, Cornell, Ashbery, and the Struggle Between the Arts as well as essays on poetry, visual art, theater, and film. Currently a Visiting Associate Professor at Pratt Institute, she has also taught at Vanderbilt University and the School of Visual Arts in New York.