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IntroductiontotheArtistMarcelDuchamp(18871968)ByArtHistory.net

Bornin1887inBlainvilleCrevon,France,theartistMarcelDuchamphashadextraordinaryimpactontwentiethcenturyWesternart.AssociatedwithDadaandSurrealism,Duchampsinfluenceontheseonthesemovementswasintegraltotheirdevelopmentdespitehisrelativelysmallportfolio.WhilehisartandwritingswouldhelprevolutionizethepostWWIartworld,theyalsodemonstratedhisplayfulpersonalityasevidencedbyhiscontroversialworkFountain,thatnotoriousurinalasubversiveworkthatchallengedtheworldsnotionsaboutwhatisart.

Duchamphailedfromanartisticfamily.SiblingsJacquesVillon,RaymondDuchampVillon,andSuzanneDuchampCrottiwerealsorenownedartists.Initially,hisassociationastheyoungerbrotherofJacquesVillongarneredhimentrytotheAcademieRoyaledePeintureetdeSculpturewhere,by1908,hewouldenjoyhisfirstexhibition.Yet,itwasthemeetingsanddiscussionswithotherartiststhatwouldhaveaprofoundeffectonhisviewsaboutart.In1912,DuchampproducedthefirstworkthatwouldreflecthisdesiretochallengeoldnotionsaboutartNudeDescendingaStaircase,No2withitselementsofCubismandFuturismraisedeyebrowsinFrance,butwouldscandalizetheNewYorkartscenewhenheshowedittherein1913.

After1915,Duchampspentlittletimepainting(exceptinghisTheBrideStrippedBarebyHerBachelors,EvenalsoknownasTheLargeGlass,aworkthatcombinedoilandwireonglass),buthecementedhisplaceinavantgardemovementswithhisworkinsculpture.Hispioneeringachievementsinkineticartandreadymadeartledtohislastingfameintheartworld.In1917,FountainwasrefusedshowingbyNewYorksSocietyofIndependentArtists.Thisworkcausedtremendousuproarandis,consequently,oneofDuchampsbestknownworks.

Duchampsworkwithkineticart(aworkthatemploysamovingpart)andfoundobjectsresultedinotherpiecesthatwouldcementhisfame.Awheelmountedonastool,BicycleWheel,hintedattheartistspreoccupationwithphysicsandmathematics.DuchampalsocontinuedtowriteandorganizeimportantartexhibitionssuchastheInternationalSurrealistExhibitionattheGalleriedesBeauxArtsinParisin1938.DuchampbecameaU.S.citizenin1955,butdiedinParisin1968.HisworknotonlydramaticallyinfluencedtheDadaandSurrealistmovements,butPopArttoo.SomeofhismostfamousworkscanbeseenattheMuseumofModernArtinNewYorkCityandthePhiladelphiaMuseumofArt.

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