Museums
In Pictures: See Why Charles Ray’s Startling Art Continues to Unsettle in Shows in New York, Maryland, and Elsewhere
A slew of international exhibitions are currently highlighting Ray's work.
Walking into the galleries of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, one might expect to encounter ancient nudes rendered in marble. It’s surprising, then, to see a life-size Japanese cypress sculpture of a shirtless, man-bunned, flip-flopped young man, balanced elegantly atop a wooden plinth and titled—of all things—Archangel. But then again, as a work by the always-surprising sculptor Charles Ray, it makes a lot more sense.
In the Met’s “Charles Ray: Figure Ground,” the artist’s first solo show in a New York museum in almost 25 years, pieces from every part of his career are on display: from his works based on Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to faithful incarnations of objects and a family of fiberglass nudes, holding hands like twisted dolls.
Ray is having a moment. Right now, in addition to “Figure Ground,” the artist’s work is on display in an ongoing presentation at Glenstone, in Potomac, Md.; the Centre Georges Pompidou and the Bourse de Commerce in Paris; and come April, it will be featured in the Whitney Biennial.
Below, see images from “Charles Ray: Figure Ground,” on view at the Met Fifth Avenue through June 5, 2022, and additional shows.
Installation view, “Charles Ray: Figure Ground.” © Charles Ray. Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Photo: Anna-Marie Kellen.
Installation view, “Charles Ray: Figure Ground.” © Charles Ray. Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Photo: Anna-Marie Kellen.
Charles Ray, Sarah Williams (2021). © Charles Ray, collection of the artist. Courtesy of Matthew Marks Gallery. Photo: Charles Ray Studio.
Charles Ray, Family Romance (1993). © Charles Ray. Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Photo: Anna-Marie Kellen.
Charles Ray, Chicken (2007), at Glenstone, Potomac, Md. © Charles Ray. Courtesy of Matthew Marks Gallery. Photo: Josh White,
Charles Ray, Reclining Woman (2018). © Charles Ray. Courtesy of the FLAG Art Foundation and Matthew Marks Gallery. Photo: Sean Logue.
Charles Ray, Archangel (2021). © Charles Ray. Collection of the artist, courtesy of Matthew Marks Gallery. Photo: Takeru Koroda.
Charles Ray, A copy of ten marble fragments of the Great Eleusinian Relief (2017). © Charles Ray. Courtesy of Matthew Marks Gallery. Photo: Ron Amstutz.
Charles Ray, Untitled (1973/1989). © Charles Ray. Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Matthew Marks Gallery. Photo: Anna-Marie Kellen.
Charles Ray, Huck and Jim (2014). © Charles Ray. Courtesy of Matthew Marks Gallery. Photo: Josh White.
Charles Ray, Tractor (2005), on view at Glenstone, Potomac, Md. © Charles Ray. Courtesy of Matthew Marks Gallery. Photo: Beth Phillips.
Charles Ray, Mime (2014), at Kunstmuseum Basel. © Charles Ray. Courtesy of Matthew Marks Gallery. Photo: Josh White.
Charles Ray, Boy with Frog (2006). © Charles Ray. Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Matthew Marks Gallery. Photo: Anna-Marie Kellen.
Charles Ray, 81x83x85=86x83x85 (1989), at Glenstone, Potomac, Md. © Charles Ray. Courtesy of Matthew Marks Gallery. Photo: Ron Amstutz.
Installation view, “Charles Ray: Figure Ground.” © Charles Ray. Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Photo: Anna-Marie Kellen.
Installation view, “Charles Ray: Figure Ground.” © Charles Ray. Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Photo: Anna-Marie Kellen.
Installation view, “Charles Ray: Figure Ground.” © Charles Ray. Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Photo: Anna-Marie Kellen.
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