Kelly Richman

October 2015

Prompt:

Suggest comparative images for Piero Manzoni’s Achrome, circa 1962.

Piero Manzoni and the Legacy of Duchamp

‘I was interested in ideas – not merely visual products. I wanted to put painting once again at the service of the

mind.’1 – Marcel Duchamp

With his unprecedented artistic approach and particularly peculiar style, Marcel

Duchamp remains a pivotal figure of the Modern Art Movement. An opponent of art deemed

‘retinal’ – or merely visual – he advocated the importance of concept and perception. Gaining

prominence for his novel views in the early 20th century, he held great artistic influence over avant

garde movements both contemporaneous and subsequent – namely, on Conceptualism. Born in

the 1960s, this movement is particularly reflective of the Duchampian style, as it is defined by its

strong focus on concept rather than aesthetics. A particular artist who epitomises this viewpoint is

Piero Manzoni, as evident in his piece, Achrome, circa 1962 (Figure 1).

Simply comprised of bread rolls and china clay, Achrome is characteristically conceptual

and undeniably Duchampian; it features every day objects altered or arranged in ways that

amend their original function. Bathed in white and void of any colour, the piece is heavily reliant

on its conceptual nature, as it also features a simple, repetitive pattern and lack of narrative or

figures. While, in his paintings, Duchamp often adhered to a particularly distinctive colour

palette that was “limited to a series of chromatic variation on the appearances of metallic and

distinctly golden”2 hues, the work of inspired artists to follow did not typically follow suit. In

addition to Manzino’s Achrome. it is apparent that other artists curiously opted for this white tonal

range. In particular, Pop Art figures Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg also dabbled in

monochrome, with Flag, 1957 (Figure 2), and White Painting, 1951 (Figure 3), respectively.

Furthermore, Manzoni, Johns, and Rauschenberg each incorporated Duchampian ideals

into much of their work. In addition to Achrome, Manzoni created myriad pieces emulative of

Duchamp’s readymades: Merda d'artista, 1961 (Figure 4) being his most well-known. A

controversial tin wrapped in a tongue-in-cheek label, Merda d'artista represents "an act of defiant

mockery of the art world, artists, and art criticism"3 much like Duchamp’s famous Fountain, 1917

(Figure 5). Similarly, like Duchamp, Johns would often appropriate the designs of existing,

familiar objects into his work: “It all began with my painting a picture of an American flag. Using

                                                                                                               1 “Looking at Dada” ed. Sarah Blyth, Edward Powers (New york: MoMa, 2006), 13 2 John F. Moffitt, Alchemist of the Avant-Garde: The Case of Marcel Duchamp (SUNY Press, 2012), 157. Michael Gandy, ‘Urban Nature and the Ecological Imaginary’ in Nikolas C. Heynen , Maria Kaika, Erik Swyngedouw , In the Nature of Cities: Urban Political Ecology and the Politics of Urban Metabolism (New York: Taylor & Francis, 2006), 63-74. 3 Helen Anne Molesworth , M. Darsie Alexander, Julia Bryan-Wilson, Work Ethic ( Penn State Press, 2003 ), 202.

this design took care of a great deal for me because I didn’t have to design it.”4 Lastly, Duchamp

also greatly inspired Rauschenberg, whose combines – hybrid pieces that join painting, collage,

and sculpture – are created in a “’post-retinal’ watershed of Duchamp and his readymades,”5 and

undeniably allude to his assemblages.

While Duchamp first introduced his concepts of retinal art and readymade objects

decades before Manzoni, Johns, and Rauschenberg emerged as top Conceptual and Pop artists,

respectively, his enduring influence is indisputable. With Manzoni’s interest in concept, Johns’

tendency toward appropriating everyday objects, and Rauschenberg’s assemblage homages, it is

clear that the Duchampian sensibility has had a deeply profound impact on avant garde art of the

20th century.

Figures:

                                                                                                               4 Catherine Craft, Jasper Johns ( Parkstone International, 2012), 9. 5 Charles Molesworth, ‘From Collage to Combine: Rauschenberg and Visual Culture,’ Salmagundi. No. 118/119 (Spring-Summer 1998), 29-39.

Figure 1.

Piero Manzoni, Achrome, circa 1962

Bread rolls and kaolin, 35 7/16 x 33 7/16 in. (90 x 85 cm.)

Figure 2.

Jasper Johns, Flag, 1952

Oil on paper, mounted on paperboard, 12 x 16 3/4 in. (30.5 x 42.5 cm)

Figure 3.

Robert Rauschenberg, White Painting, 1951

Latex paint on canvas, 72 x 108 in. (182.88 x 274.32 cm)

Figure 4.

Piero Manzoni, Merda d'artista, 1961

Tin can, printed paper and excrement, 1 9/10 × 2 3/5 in. (4.8 x 6.5 cm.)

Figure 5.

Marcel Duchamp, Fountain, 1917

Glazed ceramic with black paint, 15 in. x 19 1/4 in. x 24 5/8 in. (38.1 cm x 48.9 cm x 62.55 cm)

Bibliography:

Craft, Catherine. Jasper Johns ( Parkstone International. 2012). 9.

Gandy, Michael. ‘Urban Nature and the Ecological Imaginary’ in Nikolas C. Heynen , Maria Kaika, Erik Swyngedouw , In the Nature of Cities: Urban Political Ecology and the Politics of Urban Metabolism (New York: Taylor & Francis. 2006). 63-74.

“Looking at Dada” ed. Sarah Blyth, Edward Powers (New york: MoMa. 2006). 13 Moffitt, John F. Alchemist of the Avant-Garde: The Case of Marcel Duchamp (SUNY Press. 2012). 157. Molesworth , Helen Anne, Alexander, M. Darsie , Bryan-Wilson, Julia. Work Ethic ( Penn State

Press. 2003 ). 202.