Fountain

12:00 AM

Marcel Duchamp, Fountain, 1917
That belongs in a bathroom, not a museum.


 Scandalous and controversial, Fountain was rejected by the Society of Independent Artists in 1917; however, the rules of the society stated all entries would be accepted by those who paid the fee. Duchamp was on the committee board and secretly submitted his work. After the work’s dismissal, Duchamp decided to leave to board.

Dada became one of Duchamp’s numerous themes that he chose to incorporate in his work. While in New York, Duchamp gained notoriety within exclusive groups. Although the origins of Fountain are disputed, it is clear the piece instrumental. One story of Fountain’s creation comes from a letter written by Duchamp to his sister. He writes, “One of my female friends who had adopted the pseudonym Richard Mutt sent me a porcelain urinal as a sculpture.” There are two women who are rumored to have fit the description; Baroness Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven and Louise Norton.

The problem people saw with Fountain was the fact the artist did not create it. It was simply a urinal turned nighty degrees. Yet, people argued the artist did not need to create his piece; the beauty of it was that he picked it. Duchamp challenged people not to look at his piece and think of a bathroom, but look at it as a piece of artwork. That was the point of many of Duchamp’s ready-mades. Akin to the Dadaist movement that challenges authority, the idea of a ready-made challenged conformity. Unfortunately, Fountain was lost, or as many say thrown away by a janitor at the exhibit. That theory only reinforces Duchamp’s ideas that society was so set in their ways, it was impossible to change. 

You Might Also Like

0 comments