Dadaism and Duchamp

Dadaism and Surrealism began during the Great War. Many opposed the incessant bloodshed of thousands and the oppressive nature of their governments to create propaganda and conform society to their benefit. Dada and Surrealism questioned the rationality and logic of modern society when so many were being killed on the front line. Instead of creating art that was ordered and structured Dada and Surrealism was attracted to abstract, irrational, unorganized, and uninhibited art in a sense that it was not based on modern society’s values, but on the emotive and ideological senses of the artists. One such artist that decided to break from the traditions was Marcel Duchamp. His works became the most controversial and most talked about works of art to this day. Not because of their form or composition, but because they were not pieces that were created out of the mind of Duchamp, rather he grabbed mass-produced items and changed them slightly and called it art; such as the works Fountain and L.H.O.O.Q.

            Duchamp coined his pieces as ‘ready-mades’, the transformation of already made objects into works of art. In 1915 Duchamp would be graciously invited to America to be a founding member of the American Society of Independent Artists. As being the chairman for the hanging committee, Duchamp had the exclusive access to select which works of art would be selected for the exhibition that was coming soon. Duchamp already created Fountain years before the selecting of works. Fountain comprised of a male urinal turned upside down with a signature, R. Mutt. Duchamp guessed right when his work was rejected, although he had turned his work in anonymously. After that he left the Society and created some ready-mades, but would later retire from art for chess. What is most important though is that Duchamp was questioning the purpose of art. He argued that artists for centuries had had studio assistants create their design, while the artist didn’t even directly craft his piece. What Duchamp was doing was merely bypassing that procedure all together by buying it off the market. Although it was not of his creation, he believed it to be of his designed since he chose the piece and displayed it in a way more abstract. Many of course were horrified and shocked at the piece because of its obscene nature as being a male urinal and directly correlates with humanities disgusting nature, but the most important element was the piece itself. It questions what the real nature of art is and what can be called art.

            L.H.O.O.Q. was another piece that created controversy. At the time the Mona Lisa had made international headlines because the piece was stolen and nobody knew where it was. Before this event the Mona Lisa was not as prized as it was today, so the theft left it with much fame. While this hiatus was occurring, many vendors sold postcards of the Mona Lisa painting. Duchamp bought one and decided to draw in a handlebar mustache with a goatee. Under the postcard he wrote L.H.O.O.Q. When the general public viewed this piece they were horrified and insulted that such a sacred and highly revered piece could be vandalized this way. In this way Duchamp was commenting on the nature of fame and how art can be viewed differently when under fame. In my opinion I would call Duchamp’s work as art, I do not like it, but the ideas behind the art give his pieces meaning. It wouldn’t work any other way, for example if I had grabbed a desk and split it in half, but I had no idea or symbolism behind why I did it or what the piece stands for, then the piece is merely a short gesture for art. I feel that in order for something to be art one must be connected in some way to the art. To have some sort of ownership to the object whether it be craft, idea, or design.