USA: A URINAL TURNED WORK OF ART COULD FETCH 2.5 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS AT UPCOMING AUCTION

Record ID: 584908

  • Title: USA: A URINAL TURNED WORK OF ART COULD FETCH 2.5 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS AT UPCOMING AUCTION
  • Date: 11th May 2002
  • Summary: (U1) NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (MAY 10, 2002) (REUTERS) 1. SLV PAN INTERIOR PHILLIPS DE PURY AND LUXEMBOURG GALLERY 0.10 2. MV/SCU "THE FOUNTAIN" BY MARCEL DUCHAMP (2 SHOTS) 0.24 3. SOUNDBITE (English) MICHAEL MCGUINNESS, PHILLIPS DE PURY AND LUXEMBOURG, SAYING "So Duchamp's 'Fountain' represents in many ways the cornerstone of conceptual art in art history. Not only of the pre-war era in which it was conceived in 1917, but also the generations to follow and I think in many respects a lot of the art that was produced in 1945, for example, is very much related to Duchamp and his ideas." 0.51 4. MV/SCU SCULPTURES AND PAINTINGS (4 SHOTS) 1.24 5. SLV/MV "FOREVER" BY TIM NOBLE AND SUE WEBSTER (2 SHOTS) 1.30 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 26th May 2002 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVAXYH1UHEJS7SZWTA975QVHN45
  • Story Text: A urinal-turned-work of art could sell for as much as
    $2.5 million at an auction, one of the star attractions in
    artist Marcel Duchamp's famous collection of ordinary objects
    called "readymades."
    The enamel urinal, entitled "The Fountain," is
    expected to draw a flood of interest and fetch up to $2.5
    million, when Marcel Duchamp's famous collection of ordinary
    objects turned to art goes to auction on Monday (May 13).

    Duchamp, considered the father of conceptual art, sparked
    an international debate about fine art with his insouciant
    "readymade" creations from 1913 to 1920 that included a
    floating hat rack, a coat rack nailed to the floor, and a
    bicycle wheel affixed to a kitchen stool.

    The complete set of all 14 readymades devised by the
    Frenchman, the only one to remain in private hands, will be
    auctioned at Phillips de Pury & Luxembourg's sale of post-war
    and contemporary art and is expected to fetch between 8.5 and
    12.6 million U.S. Dollarsin total.

    Michael McGuinness of Phillips de Pury & Luxembourg said,
    "Duchamp's 'Fountain' represents in many ways the cornerstone
    of conceptual art in art history. Not only of the pre-war era
    in which it was conceived in 1917, but also the generations to
    follow and I think in many respects a lot of the art that was
    produced in 1945, for example, is very much related to Duchamp
    and his ideas."
    The set belonged to art collector Arturo Schwarz, who
    helped Duchamp execute 12 copies of the original series of 14
    in 1964. The readymades were dedicated personally to him and
    signed by the artist.

    The artist later described his purpose of the conceptual
    readymade as "ridding myself of the retinal heritage of the
    last 100 years," stressing "it was the idea that mattered".

    Duchamps hung two of his readymades from the ceiling of
    his New York City studio. Besides the "Hat Rack," he also hung
    a snow shovel which carries the playful title "In Advance of
    the Broken Arm," conjuring the arduous work of moving snow.

    One copy of "The Fountain" sold for $1.7 million at
    Sotheby's in 1997.

    Monday's sale also includes a sculpture entitled,
    "Forever" by time Noble and Sue Webster estimated to sell for
    25,000 and 35,000 US Dollars.


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