The Meeting

The Meeting is a tapestry by Man Ray, woven in 1973 at Atelier 3 in Paris, based on a 1916 design from the Revolving Doors series. The work explores the idea of interaction through the intersection of abstract forms.

The composition is constructed from overlapping geometric elements that converge across the surface. These forms intersect and partially obscure one another, creating a layered structure that suggests proximity, contact, and separation simultaneously.

The title provides a point of entry without resolving the image. Rather than depicting a literal encounter, the composition conveys the concept through tension and alignment. Shapes appear to approach, overlap, and shift apart, maintaining a sense of ongoing transition.

Movement is central to the work. The arrangement of forms encourages the eye to travel across the surface, following the points of intersection and divergence. This creates a rhythm that feels continuous rather than fixed.

Color is used to reinforce this structure. Contrasting tones define each element while allowing them to remain visually connected. The balance between clarity and overlap ensures that the composition retains both cohesion and complexity.

As part of the Revolving Doors series—originally presented in 1919 on a rotating display—the work was conceived with motion as a fundamental principle. This sense of movement is preserved in the tapestry, where the interaction of forms remains active.

Woven in wool, the surface introduces subtle variations that soften the transitions between shapes while maintaining their definition.

The Meeting stands as a clear example of Man Ray’s approach to abstraction, where meaning emerges through the relationship between forms rather than through direct representation.