Options
The way to ultimate freedom : a comparative study of Marcel Duchamp and Zen
Author
Wang, Qing
Supervisor
Presser, Lutz
Abstract
Marcel Duchamp has been recognised worldwide as one of the most prominent artists in the twentieth century and his work has been at the forefront of art discussion for almost one hundred years. The understanding of Marcel Duchamp's work has been interpreted on many levels. He is mostly believed to be an artist of anti-art, of modern indifference and scepticism, but some critics i.e. William Camfield, believed even for Readymades, the visual properties are important. According to Arturo Schwarz, Duchamp's Readymades can be approached from at least six non-conflicting viewpoints: magic, fetish-like quality; aesthetic importance; symbolic value; iconoclastic virtue; relationship to The Large Glass; and finally an attempt to bridge the gap between art and life. The seminal ideals for the Readymades and the various sections of The Large Glass are outlined in the Boîte-en-valise [Box-in-a-Valise], therefore it could be argued that a direct relationship exists between the Readymades and The Large Glass. My hypothesis is: Marcel Duchamp's thinking and approach to art is very similar to Zen. Some points of correspondence are: no doctrines exist to set ideas into concrete; ultimate goal of both was freedom. Marcel Duchamp, in my view, is "A Western Zen Master." However, there is no evidence to show that Duchamp was familiar with Eastern Philosophy like Zen. This thesis intends to demonstrate that looking from a western viewpoint, Duchamp's thinking and approach to arts are very Eastern, i.e., Zen-like. Discussing his Zen-like aspects does not exclude other aspects of Duchamp's art. As he said in "The Creative act" that we understand Duchamp's thought in divers aspects as pure sugar refined from molasses because "his (artist's) struggle toward the realisation is a series of efforts, pains, satisfactions, refusals, decisions, which also can not and must not be fully self-conscious".
In the first chapter, I try to show that Marcel Duchamp is a man who does not like any conflict. It is an essential factor for me to link him to Zen, instead of putting him in the role of anti-artist. From chapter two to chapter four, I will compare Duchamp with Zen in three main aspects: un-dualistic thinking, iconoclastic behaviour, and the way of achieving new viewpoints.
All evidence support that these two influential schools of thinking echo with each other at a very high level. Just like Zen, Marcel Duchamp's art is "nothing but a serial of efforts to liberate human beings from all forms of bondage".
In the first chapter, I try to show that Marcel Duchamp is a man who does not like any conflict. It is an essential factor for me to link him to Zen, instead of putting him in the role of anti-artist. From chapter two to chapter four, I will compare Duchamp with Zen in three main aspects: un-dualistic thinking, iconoclastic behaviour, and the way of achieving new viewpoints.
All evidence support that these two influential schools of thinking echo with each other at a very high level. Just like Zen, Marcel Duchamp's art is "nothing but a serial of efforts to liberate human beings from all forms of bondage".
Date Issued
2002
Call Number
N6853.D8 Wan
Date Submitted
2002