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
Keywords
  • 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.

Luce Object Quote

“Art simply varies in its sources of inspiration and in its modes of execution. It can vary within one man, depending on his curiosity and on his sense of freedom.” Man Ray, Exhibition Catalogue, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1966