Brinkley 1 Kyla Brinkley Susan Rosenbaum ENGL 4750 25 March 2016 Making It New: An Analysis of The Blind Man No. 2 The Blind Man No. 2 is the second and final issue of a Dada journal published by editors Marcel Duchamp, Henri-Pierre Roche, and Beatrice Wood. It is best known for a statement written by Wood titled “The Richard Mutt Case,” which defends the ban of Duchamp’s (Mutt’s) Fountain from the 1917 Independents exhibition. Loyal to the opinions stated in Wood’s essay, The Blind Man No. 2 is a true modernist work because it emphasizes that access to truth and knowledge is best found in observing the world unconventionally through art, literature, and collaboration. Wood exemplified the ideals of the magazine in “The Richard Mutt Case” by stating that “He CHOSE it. He took an ordinary article of life, placed it so that its useful significance disappeared under the new title and point of view—created a new thought for that object” (Wood 5). Throughout the magazine, works of art and writing are centered around “the exhibit refused by the independents” (The Blind Man). The magazine includes both poetry and prose and also short essays as well, often commenting on the visual art that is also present. The dialogue between the art and the writing is the only organization discernable in the magazine, because at first it seems almost cluttered: multiple works are often presented on the same page. For example, Theorem by Walter Conrad Arensberg is featured on the same page as Joseph Stella’s Coney Island. Stella’s painting is a bright, abstract depiction of the lights and attractions on the Brinkley 2 island and Arensberg writes, “…to the swing of a suspended / lens / from which the waves wash / the protective coloration” (9). Arensberg’s poem responds to the painting by pointing out the contrast between the artificial elements of Coney Island’s manmade attractions and the natural element of the sea surrounding it, which can eventually destroy it. Stella’s and Arensberg’s works support the idea that truth is uncovered by looking at the world creatively, and that art is created by uncovering that truth. Known as America’s first futurist painter, Stella’s painting may not immediately register to viewers as a depiction of Coney Island, but it captures the raw, energetic feeling created by its artificial atmosphere. The written works in The Blind Man also support the unconventional approach to art that supports Duchamp’s Fountain. Many of the writings are featured in different typefaces, which showcases the collaborative nature of the magazine because each essay or poem is submitted separately by individual writers. Therefore, although many of the submissions are liberal, the magazine is true to that collaborative nature by featuring a conservative essay as well. “Letter from a Mother” voices the concerns of the “mother” of two artists showcasing in the Independents exhibit. She writes, “People without refinement, cubists, futurists, are not artists. For Art is noble. And they are distorted. Independence is needed, but a line must be drawn somewhere” (8). This is an excellent example of the goals of the artists in the magazine, even if it seems to disagree with what they do. It is unknown whether or not the piece was included to contrast the clearly “independent” work featured throughout the magazine and to satirize the opinions of those who disagree with its ideas. However, its presence demonstrates how The Blind Man creates an open dialogue that allows art and writing to be shared freely, rebelling against the suppression of Duchamp’s art in the exhibit. Brinkley 3 A poem in The Blind Man also supports the abstract approach to art and life. Third Dimension; Portrait Sketch by Charles Duncan is presented along with instructions printed sideways on the page that read, “To be read beginning with lowest line. Top line last” (12). The poem itself is written in the fragmented style also found in the work of Gertrude Stein, which can be seen as cubism in written form. Stein’s influence is also evident in a direct reference to her by Beatrice Wood in “The Richard Mutt Case,” when Wood writes, “If it is true, as Gertrude Stein says, that pictures that are right stay right…” (6). In her essay, Wood uses Stein’s logic to support her argument that Duchamp’s Fountain should have been considered art by the Independents exhibition. The Blind Man is famous for Wood’s “The Richard Mutt Case,” and the works in the issue support her argument. However, the first issue, The Blindman, did not contain art or poetry, and serves as an introspective collection of essays. The Blind Man No. 2 is more cohesive in that its works come together to support and demonstrate the argument that art should not be suppressed, but should be “an integral part of its time” (Crowninshield 10). The idea of art as being interwoven with its time suggests that it has a dialogue with the place from which it came. Many of the authors themselves hail from other countries, or are somewhat isolated from society because of their radical ideas. Duchamp and Roche were French, for example, and some writings in the magazine even appear in French. However, they convened in New York along with other independents. The international aspect of the magazine thus contributes to “The Richard Mutt Case” by presenting the opinions of diverse contributors. These contributors also represented the modernist ideas presented in “The Richard Mutt Case” by commenting on the world through experiences as unconventional writers. Many of the contributors, for example, were women because Duchamp quietly promoted female artists like Brinkley 4 Beatrice Wood and Mina Loy. These writers both had strong opinions to share in the magazine, which adds to its independent character that was seen as radical to some audiences. Loy, for example, wrote, “Anyhow, Duchamp meditating the leveling of all values, witnesses the elimination of Sophistication” (12). Loy’s examination of Duchamp’s work demonstrates that women in The Blind Man are presented as valid critics who can accurately examine modernist work. Beatrice Wood herself, who wrote “The Richard Mutt Case” was an accomplished sculptor whose work was featured in the exhibition from which Duchamp’s Fountain was banned. Wood, who also designed the poster for the 1917 Blindman’s Ball, represented the modernist desire to view the world abstractly because of her background in art. The Blind Man was only printed for two months. The first issue appeared in April 1917 and No. 2 appeared in May of that year. The first issue featured a disclaimer on the front cover claiming that “The second number of the Blind Man will appear as soon as YOU have sent sufficient material for it” (The Blindman). The magazine subsisted on donations from readers, with a few ads at the end of No. 2 featuring art galleries. The second issue of The Blind Man contains a note at the end that reads: “Perhaps—The Blind Man may become a monthly— perhaps a quarterly—perhaps a yearly—All depending on contributions, literary and financial. Brave people who like to run risks may send five dollars as a subscription and encouragement.” It is said that The Blind Man ceased publication because Roché lost a bet with artist Francis Picabia “to decide who would continue publishing his respective magazine” (Heller). Roché lost, but after The Blind Man went out of circulation he published another Dada journal, Rongwrong, along with Wood and Duchamp. Overall, The Blind Man serves to shed light on the definition of art and the ability to create it by observing the world in an unconventional manner. The title speaks to this by Brinkley 5 demonstrating the process by which “the blind man” (who does not understand why works like Duchamp’s “Fountain” should be considered art) is able to “see” through art and writing that penetrates the mind and distorts the reality of how the world is viewed. The truth and knowledge provided by “seeing” in that way is a true representation of the modernist process of “making it new.” Brinkley 6 Works Cited Arensberg, Walter Conrad. "Theorem." The Blind Man 2 (1917): 9. Print. "Battle of Lights, Coney Island, Mardi Gras." Battle of Lights, Coney Island, Mardi Gras. Web. 21 Mar. 2016. Crowninshield, Frank. "From a Friend." The Blind Man 2 (1917): 10. Print. Duncan, Charles. "Third Dimension; Portrait Sketch." The Blind Man 2 (1917): 12. Print. Girst, Thomas. "Rarities from 1917: Facsimiles of The Blind Man No.1, The Blind Man No.2 and Rongwrong." Collections, TOUT-FAIT: The Marcel Duchamp Studies Online Journal. Ed. Andrzej Mika. Dec. 2000. Web. 21 Mar. 2016. Heller, Steven. "The D Word: Print Ready." Design Observer. 2 Mar. 2016. Web. 23 Mar. 2016. New York Times News Service. "Dada Ball Raises Money in Definitely Unboring Way." The Baltimore Sun. 10 Oct. 1994. Web. 23 Mar. 2016. "Letter from a Mother." The Blind Man 2 (1917): 8. Print. Wood, Beatrice. "The Richard Mutt Case." The Blind Man 2 (1917): 5-6. Print. .