Marcel Duchamp (1887 – 1968) was a French artist who is associated with the Dadaist and Surrealist movements. He is well known for his “readymades” – everyday objects that he would select and then present as art.
Duchamp’s most famous readymade is probably his urinal, which he titled Fountain. This work caused a stir when it was first shown publicly, and it continues to be controversial today.
Despite the controversy surrounding his work, Marcel Duchamp is considered to be one of the most important artists of the 20th century. His ideas about art have had a profound impact on the way we think about art today.