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Art Explained: False Premise


J. Antonio FARFAN False Premise

Thinker Series, No. 7 2019 6.31 x 8.25 in. ( 16.03 x 20.95 cm) Acrylic and oil on maple 950. framed The French-American artist Marcel Duchamp created thirteen pieces known to the world as Readymades. Of these the most widely recognized is the Fountain that was to be shown at the Society of independent artists exhibit of 1917 but rejected . Throughout art history much has been discussed of Duchamp's choosing an object of "complete indifference" and re assigning its function as art instead of its utilitarian purpose. In line with his ideas on creating works void of reason and logic Duchamp purposely disconnected from the prevailing standards of art in creating these works. Today, art history is consumed with new discoveries. The true intentions of artists and artistic eras are emerging in full clarity one by one. A larger picture of our history is being revealed and with it, a remarkable view into a world of ideas we all thought were brand new. As such, much of modern art is being revisited and redefined. In the BBC's. documentary on colors, art historian Dr James Fox connects the porcelain urinal to the deeper element of a whitewashed world of art that prevailed in and before the twentieth century American art, and continues to do so today. The mundane object Marcel Duchamp said to be one of "complete indifference" turns out to be a triumph of social and political issues. Much thought was put into this small piece on wood, from the selection of colors to the contrasting ghost figure - that is yet another manifestation of Duchamp's fountain. The anthropomorphic change makes the object figurative and at once acting out a decision to stare at its true image. The mirror is one of truth, where nothing is disguised. The gold frame and chosen design of the mirror mimics the white portrait medallions of Josiah Wedgwood, who himself aspired to fill the world with a made up white of classical antiquity.

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