![\"X-ray](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/andrei-duman-msi-book-featured-800x420.jpg\")
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Exceptionally talented<\/a> commercial and fine art photographer Andrei Duman<\/a> has spent years working on his fantastic X-ray photo series<\/a>. The series, Beyond the Surface: The Art of X-Rays<\/a>, is now on display in a massive exhibit at the world-famous Griffin Museum of Science and Industry (MSI)<\/a> in Chicago. It is the culmination of years of dedicated work, and Duman spoke with PetaPixel about the honor and his project as a whole. <\/p>\n This Project Has Been Years in the Making <\/p>\n Duman has been working on his Beyond the Surface: The Art of X-Rays photography project for about six years now, which is a very long time for even a \u201clong-term\u201d photo project. <\/p>\n \u201cIt certainly has been a long time since we last spoke about the project<\/a>, or at least it feels that way,\u201d Duman tells PetaPixel. \u201cSix years is a long time to spend on a project. This has been my longest running one but in some ways that does not surprise me.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cExoskeleton<\/a> took me a year and 10 months, and Organogenesis: Building Blocks of Life<\/a> was a year and six months to complete,\u201d the photographer continues. \u201cI think I am drawn to difficult projects and find value in their complexity, be it in the form of a technical challenge, waiting on a new piece of technology, or just by the pure nature of collaborating with another artist and working with their schedule.\u201d <\/p>\n Duman adds that perhaps his willingness to embrace long, arduous projects is a subconscious way of resisting the fast-paced social media-driven projects he sees so much of in the industry today, projects that he worries sacrifice quality in pursuit of quick \u201clikes\u201d online. <\/p>\n He believes there has been an \u201cerosion of quality and acceptance for poor work,\u201d leading to photographers not dedicating the necessary time to fully explore a concept and deliver expertly crafted artwork. <\/p>\n The lengthy period working on Beyond the Surface: The Art of X-rays also means that \u201cin some ways,\u201d the project has progressed, while in others, it has stayed the same the entire time. Duman admits there are only \u201cso many ways\u201d that an object can be photographed with an X-ray (\u201cusually just an overhead or a profile\u201d). However, the project has changed a lot in terms of how Duman selects his subjects. <\/p>\n \u201cInitially the objects I chose were quite random and did not really relate to each other as a series,\u201d Duman explains. \u201c[But] I started to focus more on items from particular brands to show the progression of the technology. Additionally, shooting so many objects, I got a much better sense of what would work and what would not.\u201d <\/p>\n Duman says he became much more efficient in his workflow and better able to predict how the final X-ray photo would turn out based on its materials. <\/p>\n \u201cI feel as excited about this project as the first time I started shooting it. I think it\u2019s the unexpectedness of it all that keeps me engaged,\u201d Duman says. <\/p>\n With a more sophisticated understanding of how different materials appeared in an X-ray, Duman could adjust X-ray power levels and exposure brackets with expert precision. <\/p>\n \u201cI was able to get a range of images that show different depths within the objects,\u201d he says while adding that the progression of post-production software has also helped him \u201ctone down the inherent noise and lack of sharpness\u201d in his final photos. <\/p>\n However, even with this experience, there remains a sense of mystery. While he has an understanding of how some objects will X-ray if they\u2019re similar to prior subjects, there is always a sense of anticipation and wonder when the X-ray first appears. <\/p>\n \u201cBecause time is limited with the machine, you have that one chance to get it right, see the result, and make your decision if the capture is good enough to move on,\u201d explains Duman. \u201cSo there is that added pressure; you have to rely on your experience to tell if we got the shot.\u201d <\/p>\n \u2028\u201dThe upcoming solo exhibition at Griffin Museum of Science and Industry (MSI) in Chicago is a tremendous honor,\u201d Duman says. \u201cI am so incredibly excited for what we have been working on together for the last two years in secret.\u201d <\/p>\n That\u2019s right, the exhibit has been in the works for years. <\/p>\n With the official public opening this week on July 3, Duman tells PetaPixel he is experiencing myriad emotions, including \u201canxiety, excitement, fear, and pride.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cThis team that has been assigned to me for this exhibition has been nothing short of amazing and it has been a humbling experience to work in unison with some of the brightest minds and experts in the field,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n MSI approached Duman after coming across his work and finding it different from so much of the content out there. Duman\u2019s X-ray images reveal the inner workings of a diverse range of objects, from everyday household items like telephones and video game consoles to more exotic items, such as exquisite 1:8 scale Bugatti models. Duman worked on an exclusive series of fine-art X-ray photos of Bugatti models, and prints are on sale now<\/a>. <\/p>\n Duman promises that the exhibit, much like his work, is different and unexciting. He says it is \u201cunlike anything that has been done before in an exhibition.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cThe concept of how we will be presenting the work has gone through quite a few iterations as we all really felt that we needed to do something different to match the tone of the X-rays,\u201d the photographer says, keeping a few secrets close to the vest. <\/p>\n While discussions initially centered on displaying prints of Duman\u2019s Beyond the Surface: The Art of X-rays project, they quickly evolved into a five-room, 5,000-square-foot exhibit, one of the largest areas at MSI. <\/p>\n \u201cWhat makes this particular space unique is the multiple high-resolution projectors per room that can display numerous individual images at just one giant image per wall,\u201d Duman says. \u201cThis allows us a great deal of flexibility on how we introduce each series.\u201d <\/p>\n Each room will have its own unique personality, and there will be a space dedicated to educating visitors about X-rays: what they are, how they\u2019re used, etc. Visitors will also be able to compare X-rays of objects with the real thing. <\/p>\n He teases that there will be a very exciting interactive element to the exhibition as well. <\/p>\n \u201cThe exhibit itself is a great example of how art and science intersect. Andrei Duman\u2019s images explore the beauty and complexity inside objects that we often take for granted, offering a new way of understanding how things work,\u201d says Dr. Voula Saridakis, Griffin MSI head curator. <\/p>\n \u201cGriffin MSI often showcases this blend of curiosity, innovation and creativity by highlighting the \u2018A\u2019 in STE(A)M (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics).\u201d <\/p>\n Duman has long been fascinated by the intersection of science and art. <\/p>\n \u201cI have always been drawn to scientific projects because they are usually very challenging,\u201d he adds. \u201cBe it using prototype gear on Exoskeleton, with a very steep learning curve, to being one of the few photographers allowed near-full access to the CERN Particle Collider in Switzerland.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cI feel my work always has some scientific undertones,\u201d Duman explains. <\/p>\n Speaking of the challenges he faces, he says it is often hard to appreciate them when viewing just the final photos. <\/p>\n \u201cI think it is hard to convey with a single photograph how difficult it was to achieve that photograph. Unless that process is well-described and understood, people do not fully grasp why that image or project is so complex. Unless I mention that it takes over 22 hours of image processing to flatten an image after six hours of continuous shooting, followed by up to 86 hours of retouching, someone can look at an insect image from my Exoskeleton project and think it is just a good image. It\u2019s the process breakdown that helps elevate the project,\u201d the photographer explains. <\/p>\n Duman says his X-ray project began as another avenue for him to combine creativity and science, and he never expected it to take off as it did, ultimately leading him to MSI. <\/p>\n \u201cI do recall that from the very first session I did, I got the bug for it,\u201d Duman says. \u201cI knew I was onto something different, and I loved it.\u201d <\/p>\n However, at first, he kept the project under wraps while he continued to experiment and learn. <\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s why it took me so long to get to a point where I was happy with it, where I felt the project had some cohesion, not only with the objects themselves but also in the quality consistency across the images.\u201d <\/p>\n Duman says that much of the work he captures never sees the light of day for various reasons, but his X-ray project \u201cfelt different.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cI knew it was something good because of how it made me feel,\u201d Duman says. \u201cI really got attached to this.\u201d <\/p>\n He says that his passion for Beyond the Surface: The Art of X-rays got to the point that he began to see the entire world around him as potential subjects to X-ray. <\/p>\n \u201cI was driven by that simple question: \u2018What would it look like if I X-rayed [it]?’\u201d Duman says. \u201cThis is a dangerous question as the answers are limitless\u2026 it\u2019s a never-ending project as there will always be something to X-ray.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cUltimately, I became fascinated with this concept [of X-raying] the objects we use on a daily basis and almost take for granted,\u201d Duman continues. \u201cWe do not really know what the inside of them looks like. We appreciate the external designs of them but I do not feel we pay enough attention to the incredible work that engineers and designers do to make them functional.\u201d <\/p>\n Duman hopes that Beyond the Surface: The Art of X-rays will bring the interior design of projects that people worked so hard on to the forefront of viewers\u2019 minds. <\/p>\n I\u2019m trying to shine a metaphorical light on the inner workings of things,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n Shining a Light on the Griffin MSI\u2019s Collection <\/p>\n Another significant part of Duman\u2019s new solo exhibit at Griffin Museum of Science and Industry is his new X-ray images of rare and incredible items from the museum\u2019s own collection, which Duman characterizes as an \u201cincredible and rare opportunity.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cEarly on in the discussions with MSI, I presented the idea\u00a0that, given their vast and impressive private collection that not many people get to see, it would be so applicable for the exhibition to have X-rays taken of their artifacts,\u201d Duman says. \u201cWhen the museum agreed, I spent many hours with Dr. Voula\u00a0Saridakis (Griffin MSI head curator) going through the miles of corridors that housed the most incredible items. It was quite a time-consuming exercise as we had to go at times, item by item, to check for their size, their cultural importance and how, given my previous experience with taking the X-rays, they would look (too much metal, not enough material inside, etc.)\u201d <\/p>\n In total, Duman and Dr. Saridakis settled on more than 60 individual artifacts from the museum\u2019s collection, including some hugely significant items, such as one of Thomas Edison\u2019s very first light bulbs, an original Enigma machine from WWII, binoculars from U-Boat 505, and a fully-preserved X-ray tube from the late 19th century \u2014 bringing the project full circle in a way. <\/p>\n \u201cDue to the fragility and importance of the items, we could not have them sent to my location to be X-rayed, so we had to find a facility in Chicago,\u201d Duman says. \u201cThis presented quite a few\u00a0challenges most notably the safe transportation of the artifacts to said location which needed an entire team that specialized in this.\u201d <\/p>\n The X-ray process, given the sensitive nature of the objects, was intricate and precise. <\/p>\n \u201cIt was organized perfection,\u201d the photographer says. \u201cAnd it had to be, as many objects are one-of-a-kind and incredibly fragile.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cWhat was so fascinating for me was the fact that even though we had these items, no one knew what they would actually look like, as it had never been done before,\u201d Duman says. <\/p>\n For the photographer, his favorite item was the Enigma machine. <\/p>\n \u201cAs someone fascinated with the events of World War II, having an original Enigma machine to X-ray was an amazing experience. I recall that even though it was frantic to get the other items done, I left this one last as I really wanted to take my time with it. From the research I have done, only two others have ever taken an X-ray of a captured Enigma machine, and this is the first time that it was done for a fine art purpose.\u201d <\/p>\n It was an enlightening experience for Dr. Saridakis, too. <\/p>\n \u201cAndrei\u2019s X-rays of Griffin MSI artifacts allowed the Museum team to not just pull out these intriguing objects and tell the stories behind them but also discover the hidden technologies and designs within them. In some cases, that view added important details to the artifacts\u2019 stories,\u201d Dr. Saridakis tells PetaPixel. <\/p>\n \u201cOne example of that is the Edison lightbulbs. Two of the several lightbulbs that were part of the Edison patent trial in the 1890s have been in the Museum\u2019s collection for years. These bulbs were frosted to hide their inner workings, and it appeared from the outside that only one was broken during the trial to see what was inside, while the other was in perfect condition. By X-raying the bulbs, we discovered that the other had also been broken but taped back together around the same period as the trial, to make it appear intact. Now we have another history mystery to dig into and an additional angle to the famous light bulb patent story.\u201d <\/p>\n Duman says he has long been especially interested in capturing X-ray images of culturally significant objects: \u201cThe first Apple laptop, Neil Armstrong\u2019s glove that he took to the Moon, an Ottoman-era dagger, the first Motorola mobile phone, etc.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cI have some things in the works that will hopefully lead to me doing these,\u201d Duman teases. <\/p>\n Beyond the Surface: The Art of X-rays Photobook <\/p>\n Alongside the exhibit at MSI, Duman\u2019s Beyond the Surface: The Art of X-rays will be enshrined in an accompanying book<\/a>. The limited edition book is expected to ship in August and starts at $95 for a hardcover copy with 217 image plates inside. However, PetaPixel readers can save 20% on the book using the code \u201cPetaPixelXray\u201d at checkout. <\/p>\n \u201cMany years ago, I was told by nearly everyone that I should only do one type of photography and stick to it. I detested that concept. It felt so stale and so uncreative that I utterly ignore them all,\u201d Duman says. \u201cI shot projects I wanted to do, and explored concepts that I felt were complex and interesting. I had the mentality that if clients liked what I was doing they would come to me for my creative approach to a project and the fanatical approach to execution and technique.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cThis [X-ray] project hopefully shows the variety of my work and my desire to keep pushing creative boundaries. I fail many more times than I succeed, but I am always learning, always making mistakes, and always trying to produce striking content,\u201d the photographer continues. <\/p>\n See Andrei Duman\u2019s Groundbreaking X-ray Photography in an All-New Way <\/p>\n Duman\u2019s X-ray series, Beyond the Surface: The Art of X-rays, opens at Griffin Museum of Science and Industry<\/a> on July 3. The incredible exhibit is included with general admission to the museum and is shaping up to be an unforgettable experience for visitors. Tickets to the museum are available online<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cBeyond the Surface: The Art of X-rays\u00a0is a multi-sensory journey into the art and science of X-rays in which guest will experience four highly immersive and interactive rooms. The first room dives into the science and history of X-rays; the second room features more than 120 images of everyday objects previously photographed by Andrei; the third room highlights artifacts from Griffin MSI and discoveries about the technology and innovation within those objects; and the fourth room is the Bugatti room that includes a lot of interactive play.\u00a0Beyond the Surface\u00a0makes exciting use of our newest exhibit space, Griffin Studio, an immersive digital space that combines ultra-high-resolution projections with cinematic visualizations and interactivity to engage guests in a multi-sensory, communal experience around science with rotating exhibits. Griffin Studio opened in May 2024 with\u00a0Notes to Neurons\u00a0as its premiere exhibition,\u201d says Dr. Saridakis. <\/p>\n![\"X-ray](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Hassleblad-501-TZ-800x640.jpg\")
Hasselblad 501 <\/p>\n![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Polaroid-SX-70-Land-Camera-TZ-800x659.jpg\")
Polaroid SX-70 <\/p>\n![\"X-ray](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Mariocart-TZ-800x515.jpg\")
Mario Kart remote control car <\/p>\n![\"X-ray](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Susan-Bag-TZ-800x667.jpg\")
Ferragamo bag <\/p>\n![\"X-ray](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Jaguar-Controller-2TZ-copy-632x800.jpg\")
Jaguar video game controller The MSI Exhibit Is an Incredible Achievement <\/p>\n![\"X-ray](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/35T-Side-Store-800x534.jpg\")
BUGATTI TYPE 35T \u2014 1926 Targa Florio winner. ![\"X-ray](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/T57-Front-copy-800x534.jpg\")
BUGATTI TYPE 57 <\/p>\n![\"X-ray](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Unilite-TZ-800x574.jpg\")
Unilite Studio Light<\/p>\n![\"X-ray](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Snake-4-TZ-800x632.jpg\")
Ball Python Snake <\/p>\n![\"X-ray](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Intel-TZ-800x661.jpg\")
ThinkPad 360Cs Model 2620-20F Laptop Computer, c. 1994 <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Edison-Bulb-TZ-519x800.jpg\")
One of the original famous Thomas Edison\u2019s light bulbs from the trial of 1879. <\/p>\n![\"X-ray](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Smeg-Side-TZ-634x800.jpg\")
Smeg Drip Coffee Maker <\/p>\n![\"X-ray](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/duman-xray-book-interior-9.5x12-F-pp20-21_crop-800x519.jpg\")
Toy Story action figures <\/p>\n![\"X-ray](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Alessi-TZ-NEW-800x537.jpg\")
Alessi Toaster <\/p>\n![\"X-ray](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Binoculars-TZ-800x731.jpg\")
7\u00d750 Binoculars, c. 1944 U-Boat 505 <\/p>\n![\"X-ray](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Crab-TZ-800x670.jpg\")
Crab <\/p>\n![\"X-ray](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Glove-Apollo-TZ-533x800.jpg\")
Replica of Neil Armstrong\u2019s glove from the famed Apollo 11 mission <\/p>\n![\"X-ray](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Enigma-TZ-726x800.jpg\")
M4 German Enigma Machine U-Boat 505 (Courtesy of National Cryptologic Museum, NSA)<\/p>\n![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Edison-Broken-TZ-656x800.jpg\")
A broken Thomas Edison bulb <\/p>\n![\"Open](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Unknown-800x534.jpg\")
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