Fact Finder - Arts and Literature

Fact
Marcel Duchamp and the 'Readymade'
Category
Arts and Literature
Subcategory
Writers and Artists
Country
France/USA
Description
In 1917, Marcel Duchamp submitted a porcelain urinal titled 'Fountain' to an exhibition in New York. He signed it with the pseudonym 'R. Mutt.' This was the birth of the 'Readymade'—an ordinary, mass-produced object that becomes art simply because the artist chooses it and places it in a gallery. Duchamp wanted to move art away from 'retinal' beauty (what looks good) toward a 'conceptual' approach (what makes you think). While 'Fountain' was rejected by the exhibition board at the time, it is now considered one of the most influential artworks of the 20th century. It challenged the very definition of art and paved the way for movements like Dada, Surrealism, and eventually, modern conceptual art.