Episode 33: The Fine Art of Changing the Subject: On Duchamp's 'Fountain'

Weird Studies

Phil Ford and J. F. Martel

Society & Culture, Arts, Philosophy

4.8 • 688 Ratings

🗓️ 7 November 2018

⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In 1917, Marcel Duchamp trolled the New York art scene with Fountain, the famous urinal, whose significance has since swelled in the minds of art aficionados to become the prototype of all modern art. The conversation as to whether or not Fountain fulfills the conditions of a genuine work of art has been going on ever since. In this episode, JF and Phil weigh in with their own ideas, not just about what art is, but more importantly, about what art -- and only art -- can do. The result is a no-holds-barred assault on the very idea of conceptual art, a j'accuse aimed squarely at Duchamp and anyone else who would make the arts as scrutable, and as trivial, as the latest political attack ad or home insurance jingle. REFERENCES J. S. Bach, The Well-Tempered Clavier Roger Scruton, The Face of God Philip Larkin, All What Jazz Daniel Clowes, Art School Confidential Banksy, Girl with Balloon Bill Hicks, stand-up bit on marketers Walter Benjamin, “Theses on the Philosophy of History” and Paul Klee, Angelus Novus Arthur Danto, “The Art World” Andy Warhol, Brillo Boxes JF Martel, Reclaiming Art in the Age of Artifice Cornelius Cardew, “Stockhausen Serves Imperialism” John Roderick, “Punk Rock is Bullshit” Susan McClary, foreword to William Cheng, Just Vibrations Deleuze, "What is the Creative Act?" Benjamin, "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction" Biggie Smalls, "Ready to Die" Cave paintings at Chauvet Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Nobel lecture Jonathan Glazer, Under the Skin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Specter Vision Radio.
0:03.3	Welcome to Weird Studies, an art and philosophy podcast with hosts Phil Ford and J.F. Martell.
0:21.9	For more episodes and to support the podcast, go to Weird J.F. Martel. In 1917, the French visual artist Marcel Duchamp bought porcelain urinal, turned at 90 degrees, signed it Aramut, and submitted it to the Society of Independent Artists' exhibition in New York City, under the title Fountain.
1:06.0	Although the organizers rejected the piece, it was widely discussed at the time of the exhibit,
1:11.4	and it became something of a legend in the years that followed. So much so that in the 1950s,
1:17.6	Duchenne began reproducing the original urinal, which by that time had been lost. The work exists
1:23.7	in multiple replicas today, and its immateriality is part of what makes it what it is.
1:30.3	Indeed, Douchon's fountain has become the exemplar of modern art. Its appearance is seen
1:35.6	as that moment of upheaval when art finally went full critical, becoming a fundamentally
1:41.2	political and discursive enterprise.
1:48.9	In this episode, Phil and I discuss the profound effect that Duchenne's famous gesture has had on the development of art in the 20th and 21st centuries.
1:53.1	As you'll see, it's something we both feel quite passionate about.
1:57.7	We hope you enjoy our conversation.
2:25.0	Thank you. about. We hope you enjoy our conversation. We hope you enjoy our conversation. I was driving around yesterday.
2:30.9	It was a beautiful fall day, and I was playing the well-tempered clavier, which I love.
2:34.5	Bach, you know, it's one of my great enthusiasms in life.
2:40.9	I'm just driving around listening to Well Chimper Clavier, and I just love that fucking music so much.
2:43.5	And it's just like how it was making me feel.
2:50.7	It's like the feeling of like a beloved grandparent giving you a hug or your mom giving you a hug or like hugging your child you know
2:53.6	they're all like bathed and then they're footy pajamas and they smell real nice and it's just like
2:59.3	you know that wonderful feeling when you're like hugging them and putting them to bed like that's how
3:04.0	I felt and I was just sort of like it's not only right to say that I love this music.
	...

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