Square Dumb Bells

Copied Man Ray, Square Dumb Bells, 1944 or 1945, cast bronze, parts A and B: 9 3⁄8 x 1 7⁄8 x 1 7⁄8 in. (23.7 x 4.7 x 4.7 cm) each, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Juliet Man Ray, 1983.105.17A-B

Artwork Details

Title
Square Dumb Bells
Artist
Date
1944 or 1945
Location
Dimensions
parts A and B: 9 3⁄8 x 1 7⁄8 x 1 7⁄8 in. (23.7 x 4.7 x 4.7 cm) each
Credit Line
Gift of Juliet Man Ray
Mediums
Mediums Description
cast bronze
Classifications
Subjects
  • Object — toy — sports equipment
Object Number
1983.105.17A-B
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1983.105.17A-B

Artwork Description

Man Ray enjoyed questioning the function of everyday objects. This piece displays two weightlifting dumbbells as found objects or “readymades.” The object and the title express two contradictions: Dumb can mean speechless or silent and so the Dumb Bell cannot ring, while the dumbbells cannot be lifted because they have become objects of art.