“To survey the densely entangled life and work of Ray Johnson, one needs an agile and surefooted guide like Ellen Levy. Building in new directions on the unfinished work of scholar and archivist Bill Wilson, Levy has coaxed out of letters, mailers, and collages a cohesive Ray—an artist as profound, prolific, and slippery as they come. Her book is an achievement of the first order and a fabulous read.” -Caitlin Haskell, Gary C. and Frances Comer Curator, Modern and Contemporary Art, and Director of Ray Johnson Collection and Research, The Art Institute of Chicago
“I was a bit player in Ray Johnson's world of enigma and constant surprises for three decades but only now, reading Ellen Levy's masterful exegesis of both his public and private life do I feel I know him. She seamlessly connects his life performance to the web of allusions in his work and reveals the full scope of his germinating influence on pop art as well as being the genius who turned the US Postal Service into an art medium. Though he was famously unknown in his lifetime because he defied the art 'market,' Levy's A Book About Ray ensures he is now both famous and fully known. Brava!”-Michael Findlay, Director of Acquavella Galleries
"A comprehensive survey with intelligent, thoughtful readings of key works, for both newcomers and those already familiar with Johnson's art." -Library Journal
The first full-career survey of the idiosyncratic life and work of Ray Johnson, a collagist, performance artist, and pioneer of mail art. Suitable for readers both new to Ray Johnson and those already familiar with his work, A Book About Ray is a complete and vital portrait of an American original.
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