Photo: Man Ray. Copyright Christopher Makos
In the 1976, Christopher Makos travelled to Fregene, Italy, where he briefly apprenticed for Man Ray. The legendary artist, who took Surrealism and Dada to new heights, was in his later years, yet the octogenarian remained very crisp, lucid, and creative. He imparted upon Makos a key piece of advice, “Obey your instinct,” which the young photographer fully embraced in both art and life.
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Knowing that your gut reaction speaks the truth long before your mind has time to process the information, Makos brought this edict to every aspects of his work, from editing photographs to authoring 21 books. Among the tools of his trade was the Polaroid SX-70, the classic instamatic camera that revolutionised the photography world. With just one press of the button, you could take the shot and a print would emerge. It was the perfect embodiment of Man Ray’s faith in the intuitive process for creating art.
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Last month, on the 80th anniversary of the Polaroid brand, the company launches Polaroid Originals and debuts with the OneStep 2 camera, along with colour, black-and-white, and special edition film, recapturing the magic of analogue photography in its most immediate form.
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In the four decades since May Ray’s death, his words continue to guide Makos in the creation of art. As a member of the Factory from 1976 through 1986, Makos honed his skills alongside some of the greatest talents of the era, capturing them in photographs made for both work and play. He shares his wisdom and insights garnered from a life spent honing his instinct and following his intuition.
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Photo: Randall. Copyright Christopher Makos