Dada and Surrealism

Dada and Surrealism both had large influences on the art world. Although very different in content and values, they both affected the art world at their times. Surrealism was in the early 1900’s and brought up sexuality, big breams, and social changes it was very creative an imaginative work. I found a lot of the surrealist art a little disturbing, but some of the ideas they brought up were quite interesting. It made people more open to more abstract and more aware of cultural values.

Dada art really brought in a lot of challenges to art. He challenged what art was at the time. He made everyday objects into pieces of art. But was it really art? He made people think about what art really was. He brought up questions that made people think what an artist needs to do to make something art, and if ideas can be considered art. The piece Fountain by Marcel Duchamp which was made in the 1960’s is a really good example of how much Dada art challenged society.

The Fountain piece is just a urinal, so a readymade object that many people own and many people can get at any time. It is turned on its side, so it no longer can serve as a working urinal, and he wrote on it R. Mutt. He was making fun of a pluming company, and having a good time with his art. But considering that he did not fashion this art with his own hands, and the context/meaning of his art was not typical he was rejected from the art show.

Just with this one piece Duchamp really challenged people with the idea of what art was. He brought up the issue of art being a readymade object, and really brought out the idea if art can really be made with just thought or the idea of something constitutes as art. He argued that it didn’t matter who made it, the artist chose it and created new meaning for the object he made an idea into art. He really just wanted people to think about art in a new light, he wanted people to see how this object being a urinal, is really not a urinal at all.

Personally, I agree with him. I think, you can make art from ideas and I think it is ok to use readymade objects to get across concepts or ideas, but I don’t think someone should take credit for making the readymade objects. 

So some of Duchamp’s artwork may have pushed and may still push the boundaries of art, I think for that very reason it should be at least given a chance, especially when there is an idea, or concept behind it. The idea and concept is what makes or breaks many pieces of art. And many concepts behind Duchamp’s art were valid, and entertaining, and should have been and should be considered art.