Iris Tree

1920s

A photography studio: portraits of Paris bohemia

Convinced that he cannot make a living from his art alone, Ray buys a camera and opens a studio; he creates a series of famous photographic portraits of Erik Satie, James Joyce, Gertrude Stein and Jean Cocteau.

1921

His first Paris exhibition at the Galerie Six

Ray's first solo exhibition in Paris is held at the Galerie Six, organised by Philippe Soupault; for it he creates his first Dadaist work in France, The Gift (Le Cadeau).

c. 1921

Rayographs: photograms without a camera

His accidental rediscovery of the cameraless photogram, which he calls 'rayographs', produces images hailed by Tristan Tzara as 'pure Dada creations'.

c. 1921

Meeting Kiki de Montparnasse

Shortly after arriving in Paris Ray meets and falls in love with Alice Prin, known as Kiki de Montparnasse, an artists' model and celebrated figure of Paris bohemian circles. She remains his companion for most of the 1920s, the subject of some of his most famous photographs, and stars in his films Le Retour à la raison and L'Étoile de mer.

July 1921

Moving to Paris, Montparnasse

In July 1921 Ray goes to live and work in Paris, settling in the Montparnasse quarter favoured by many artists.

1925

The first Surrealist exhibition at the Galerie Pierre

Ray is represented in the first Surrealist exhibition at the Galerie Pierre in Paris, alongside Jean Arp, Giorgio de Chirico, Max Ernst, Georges Malkine, André Masson, Joan Miró and Pablo Picasso.