T
his
work is a replica of a porcelain urinal which was originally purchased by the
artist in 1917 from a plumbing supply firm in New York. Duchamp simply signed
the object with the pseudonym R Mutt, then entered it for an art exhibition.
The bizarre item exemplifies the notion of taking a commonplace object out of
its customary setting and placing it in a new and unfamiliar one. It was
through this work that Duchamp first defined the concept of the ‘ready-made’ or
‘found object’-an idea which has countless artists since. In defending the
original sculpture in 1917 Duchamp challenged traditional preconceptions of what
art is. He stated that it was not important whether or not ‘Mr Mutt’ had
made the work with his own hand; what mattered was that he had chosen it.
Therefore the creation was not important but the idea and selection was.
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his
work is a replica of a porcelain urinal which was originally purchased by the
artist in 1917 from a plumbing supply firm in New York. Duchamp simply signed
the object with the pseudonym R Mutt, then entered it for an art exhibition.
The bizarre item exemplifies the notion of taking a commonplace object out of
its customary setting and placing it in a new and unfamiliar one. It was
through this work that Duchamp first defined the concept of the ‘ready-made’ or
‘found object’-an idea which has countless artists since. In defending the
original sculpture in 1917 Duchamp challenged traditional preconceptions of what
art is. He stated that it was not important whether or not ‘Mr Mutt’ had
made the work with his own hand; what mattered was that he had chosen it.
Therefore the creation was not important but the idea and selection was.