Abstract: Duchamp is the most important anti-traditional and anti-aesthetic artist in the 20th century. His emergence changed the course of modern Western art. It can be said that Western modern art, especially Western art after World War II, mainly follows the ideological trajectory of Duchamp. Therefore, understanding Duchamp is the key to understanding Western modern art. The transcendental figure of experimental art in the 20th century, he is known as the "patron saint of modern art" and one of the representatives of Dadaism and Surrealism.

Keywords: Artistic concepts and materials destroy creation

Duchamp’s destructive power to traditional art rules is astonishing. He oriented towards traditional art concepts, materials and production techniques. Art attacks. Duchamp's powerful destructive power caused the traditional aesthetic system that was already on the verge of collapse to completely collapse, and his weapon to attack traditional art rules became a beacon for modern artists after World War II, guiding their direction. While destroying the old aesthetic system, he created new artistic concepts and styles. His admirers established a new aesthetic system based on his artistic concepts, although this was not necessarily His true intention.

1. Duchamp’s artistic concept

Duchamp has been fighting against existing norms throughout his life, and is unwilling to join any form of group. Due to the ambiguity of his thoughts and behaviors, It was so advanced that people at the time found it difficult to understand him. For example, in an era when easel painting was very popular and many artists were keen on making revolutions on canvas, he gave up painting in 1923. In the years that followed, he preferred to spend his time playing chess and occasionally producing his "ready-made" works, rather than dabbling in painting.

In fact, Duchamp was very different from those early modernist arts. He was not satisfied with carrying out a "formal revolution" on canvas like other artists of his generation. Duchamp believed that works of art were The value of art lies in the fact that it is a "symbol" that conveys ideas and can force the viewer to actively think and participate creatively. He wants art to gain a spiritual power that transcends the visual senses. The ready-made art created by Duchamp was based on these views. He believed that artists did not need to participate in the production process of artworks, but only needed to select ordinary industrial products and "symbolize" and "meaning" them. This concept was obviously intolerable to the vast majority of artists at the time, because both traditional and modern artists were using certain forms to imitate or create an object defined as an "artwork". No one before Duchamp had ever doubted that objects differed from everyday objects in terms of skill, craftsmanship and interest. Duchamp completely destroyed people's definition of "artwork" at the time and blurred the boundaries between art and non-art. He introduced some items and concepts of "non-art" that people at the time considered "non-artwork" into art. . In Duchamp's concept of art, it is possible for an artist to "symbolize" or "meaning" anything produced by humans or machines, and make it convey the artist's ideas.

Duchamp’s forward-thinking concept of only pursuing the communication of artistic concepts while ignoring artistic production techniques and processes created a new era of modern art.

2. Duchamp’s use of materials

Duchamp constantly questioned various existing rules throughout his artistic career, which laid the foundation for his art. , which also gave him endless inspiration when attacking traditional art. Giving up easel painting was an important anti-traditional move on his part, and this move accompanies his anti-traditional artistic concept. Since we have to give up traditional painting, it means finding new art media to compete with traditional art media represented by paint and canvas. Duchamp made many new attempts in the selection of materials. Starting from him, the materials and methods of modern art have been continuously enriched, completely getting rid of the limitations of traditional materials.

The materials used by Duchamp to make works of art are often common supplies in daily life. For example, his 1916 work "The Hidden Noise" consists of a hemp rope sandwiched between two metal plates with words engraved on it. Composed between pieces, the hemp rope contains an object that only the artist knows is capable of producing sound. There is another more famous work, "Big Glass", which is a work that has frustrated all critics, and it is difficult for people to explain its meaning. Duchamp gave this obscure piece a provocative title: "The Bride Was Stripped Even by the Bachelors." The combination of materials he used in this work is unprecedented. He sandwiched some silk threads and colored metal foils between two large glass plates, and then used oil paint to paint the image where needed. Finally, he finished like this A mixed media work that is neither sculpture nor painting. "Large Glass" is divided into upper and lower parts. The upper part is painted with a mechanical-like thing. It is difficult to see its specific shape. Duchamp likened it to a bride. The lower part is painted with a chocolate grater connected with nine molds. The mold looks like a chess piece at first glance, representing the nine bachelors. The physical characteristics of the upper and lower parts of the work are completely different. In the upper part of the bride's machine, the main shapes are more or less large or small, and appear irregular; while in the lower part of the bachelor's machine, the main shapes are precise and precise. Geometry. Duchamp used these images to suggest the relationship between men and women, which are full of sexual implications. This work contains many factors such as Duchamp's fascination with impersonal machines and his ridicule of rules.

Regardless of whether we can truly understand Duchamp’s original intention of producing these works, it is certain that Duchamp’s works with mixed materials successfully broke through the limitations of artistic production materials and greatly expanded artistic expression. space. The junk art, installation art and pop art that emerged after the war all used a variety of materials. The diversity of materials used by these art schools was obviously inspired by Duchamp's works.

The above is the best explanation of Duchamp's artistic career. He is a landmark figure in the history of modern art. He fundamentally changed people's artistic concepts. Duchamp was a natural skeptic and anti-rules person. He used a more rational attitude to overthrow all existing art rules. It was also his ruthless destruction of traditional art rules that made people get rid of traditional art. The shackles of concepts cleared the way for the development of modern art in the 20th century, especially after World War II.

References:

［1］ Author: Zhang Yuying, "Social Science Front", Issue 1, 1999

［2］ Author: Kabane (France) ) Wang Ruiyun translated Wang Ling's interview with Duchamp by Xun Culture and Art Publishing House 1997-03