Self-Portrait Rayogram
Title
Self-Portrait Rayogram
Description
Here, a self-portrait of Fichter gives the impression of a body pushed against a surface, reflecting the process behind the work’s creation. Named for the artist Man Ray (1890–1976), the rayogram is produced by placing objects directly on light-sensitive material, which is then exposed to light.
Overlaid by a tank, the flattened figure may evoke a war captive or interrogee pressed against a wall. This work was created the year after the 1970 Kent State shootings, during a period of protest against U.S. involvement in Vietnam. The tank pictured was used in World War I, but its symbolism speaks to Fichter’s historical context.
Overlaid by a tank, the flattened figure may evoke a war captive or interrogee pressed against a wall. This work was created the year after the 1970 Kent State shootings, during a period of protest against U.S. involvement in Vietnam. The tank pictured was used in World War I, but its symbolism speaks to Fichter’s historical context.
Creator
Robert W. Fichter
Date
1971
Identifier
Coll132-P015
Original Format
Cyanotype
Physical Dimensions
13 5/8 x 10 3/8 in.
Collection
Citation
Robert W. Fichter, “Self-Portrait Rayogram,” Albin O. Kuhn Library Gallery, accessed April 18, 2024, https://umbcgallery.omeka.net/items/show/113.