The Fountain by Marcel Duchamp Artwork Exhibition - Admission/Application Essay Example

The Fountain The Fountain is a artwork created by Marcel Duchamp in 1917. The artwork is a porcelain urinal with a signature of the bottom right corner, signed R. Mutt 1917. R. Mutt was Duchamps alter ego. The name was inspired by the plumbing company, Mott. When Duchamp presented the artwork for exhibition, he rotated the urinal and placed it on its back rather than its usual upright position. Initially the artwork was submitted for a exhibition for the Society of Independent Artists but it was rejected.

Later when a picture of the artwork was published in The Blind Man, it gained considerable attention. Although the original artwork got lost after being published in the magazine, the photograph served an important role in creating replicas of the urinal. Several known replicas have been created and are displayed in different museums around the world. The artwork is considered to be a prominent milestone of twentieth century art. The society of Independent Artists rejected the artwork because it was not crafted by the artist but was rather readymade.

Duchamp argued that the artwork represented readymade art and it did not matter that the artist had not crafted the urinal. Duchamp claimed that art was not just craft but also the idea behind the craft is also considered as art. When the artist placed the urinal on a pedestal, he undermined the utilitarian purpose of the object. The artwork made an important contribution to how people see art and everyday object. Everyday objects like urinals, bathtubs, basins etc. were known for their practical use.

People did not see the beauty behind such objects. This artwork changed the perspective of people. The Fountain also expanded the boundaries of art to include everyday objects. In this manner, Duchamps urinal laid down the foundations of conceptual art. In my opinion, the world has benefited from this particular artwork. This is because with the concept of a readymade art, Duchamp ensured that common people would be able to disassociate craft with art. An artist is not a person who does menial labor to produce his artwork.

It is rather the thought behind the artwork that makes an artwork significant. Since the fifteenth century, artists have tried to separate themselves from craftsmen by infusing intellect in their artwork. Artists such as Leonardo Da Vinci tried to raise the platform of art by associating artworks with an intellectual though.. Duchamp made a bold move when he entirely dissociated the urinal and other subsequent artworks from being considered craft. He took an object that was already created and just added a thought behind it.

His artwork was not meant to be beautiful but rather to be thought provoking. It not just made the common man rethink art but also artists and art critics were forced to see a new dimension of art. I do not go as far to suggest that without this artwork, conceptual art would not have been born because most artist were moving in the same direction. However, Duchamp achieved this more quickly than other artists and thus created a turning point in art history with this artwork.