Sydney College of the Arts The University of Sydney MASTERS OF VISUAL ARTS 2002 RESEARCH PAPER RE-EVALUATING THE ART AND CHESS OF MARCEL DUCHAMP by Ian Randall J\a'cI ' 2.0CLL i This volume is presented as a record of the work undertaken for the degree of Master of Visual Arts at Sydney College of the Arts. 2 Table of Contents List of Illustrations 5 Thesis Summary 6 Chapter 1. Methodology: "Where is Duchamp... ?" 9 The Archetypal Search for Duchamp Where is Duchamp .. ? Paradigm Shifts Duchamp and the Traversal of Paradigms Duchampian Chess Chapter 2. Duchampian Chess in a Postmodern Historical Field 40 Duchamp the Chess "Idiot" Chess as a Modernist Historical Model The "Progress" of Modernity The transition into Postmodemity Scientific Developments as Reflecting the Postmodern Chess as a Metaphor for a 'New' Perception in Science: the nth-Dimension Duchamp's place in Postmodernism Chapter 3. Chess "Praxis" from Modernism to Postmodernism 72 The Histories of Marcel Duchamp as Chess Player A History of Chess: A Philosophy A History of Chess: An Origin A History of Chess: Theory Hypermodem Chess Chess and Art "reconciled" Chapter 4. "Chess as an art form" 109 A recent debate Developing a philosophy of chess Duchamp as Chess Artist Chapter 5. A thematic study of chess in the art of Marcel Duchamp 141 The Chess Game (1910) Portrait of Chess Players (1911) The King and Queen (1912) Trebuchet / Trap (1917) Why No Sneeze Rose Selavy (1921), Poster for the Third French Chess Championship (1925), & Pocket Chess Set with Rubber Glove (1944) Nude Seated at a Chess Board Plates 168 Bibligraphy 190 3 For Anna my anti-Duchampian Special thanks to Christina Davidson Dr. Eril Bailey Professor Richard Dunn Chris Hewett List of Illustrations In order of reference PLATE Page. 1 The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even (The Large Glass) 168 2 The Chess Games 169 3 Portrait of Chess Players 170 4 Two Nudes: One Strong, One Swift 171 5 The King and Queen Traversed by Nudes at High Speed 172 6 The King and Queen Traversed by Swift Nudes 173 7 The King and Queen Surrounded by Swift Nudes 174 8 1917 Studio Photograph 175 9 Trebuchet (Trap) 176 10 3 Draft Pistons 177 11 Unhappy Ready Made 178 12 Coffee Mill 179 13 Sad Young Man on a Train 180 14 Nude Descending a Staircase 181 15 1925 French Chess Championships 182 16 Why Not Sneeze Rose Selavy? 183 17 1963 Chess Performance 184 18 1919 Carved Chess Set 185 19 Chess Designs 186 20 Six Studies for Portrait of Chess Players 187 21 The Chess Players 188 22 Pocket Chess Set with Rubber Glove 189 5 Thesis Summary The need for a re-evaluation of the art and chess of Marcel Duchamp came about when inconsistencies concerning the nature of chess and what was written about Duchamp's involvement in the game were revealed during two unrelated studies. When learning to play chess, I became interested in the historical development of opening theories. During this time I was attempting to read extensively on Duchamp and the postmodern as part of my undergraduate degree. It became apparent that many of the dominant theories about Duchamp's art made certain assumptions about chess that were false or misleading. The most immediate were theories about Duchamp quitting art to play chess, and that his works about chess were part of the erotic fascinations seen in his major works, The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even and Étant donnés. The study opened up not only these anomalies but also a web of historical and theoretical relationships with other disciplines and paradigms. It became apparent that there were more convincing and compelling relationships between art and chess in the life of Duchamp than had been commonly presented. Throughout Duchamp's life, chess was going through a major paradigm shift of its own. Duchamp made many a contribution to this as a player and theoretician. Beyond the realms of art, it was not only chess that held Duchamp's interest, but also science, mathematics, and music. These fields, like that of chess, were also experiencing major historical shifts in theory and practice. The historical term 6 "Post-Modernism" is commonly used to express this shift. In unique ways, Duchamp saw opportunities caused by these historical shifts to merge the theories and practices of these disciplines with that of art. Duchamp merged science with art, chess with art, music with art, but also science with chess, chess with mathematics, and chess with music. The first two chapters of this thesis explore the misconceptions about chess, and present an exploration into paradigms as offering a solution. The solution looks into the historical shifts from the modern to the postmodern and how it was manifest in science, maths, chess and Duchamp's involvement therein. The final three chapters look exclusively at chess: historically, philosophically, theoretically as well as Duchamp's contributions to the game. The thesis concludes by reflecting on Duchamp's works that specifically involve chess as a theme. The significance of this thesis to contemporary art theory and practice is twofold; Firstly, it offers a solution to the problems that continue to concern art and chess in the life and work of Duchamp. Secondly, as Duchamp is often cited as the "Father of Postmodernism" or arts "proto postmodernist," this thesis explores the multiple paradigms and disciplines that characterised Duchamp's own art practice. Contemporary art practice takes for granted the merging and blending of art with the other. There is an inherent correlation to the way contemporary artists merge the practices and theories of art with a myriad of other elements, images, stories, cultures, traditions, practices, languages beyond that of art. Just as we traverse 7 with Duchamp into the paradigms of chess, science and mathematics through this thesis, contemporary art historians and theoriests attempt to follow contemporary artists into foreign realms and back again. 8 Chapter 1. Methodology: "Where is Duchamp. .. ?" The Archetypal Search for Duchamp: a personalised theoretical analogy As I walked with ease down the well lit corridor of art, the space was filled with the echoes of my presence, my shoes sounding an authoritative tread with each step. The corridor, filled with many familiar works, continually affirmed my knowledge and gave me confidence in what I saw. The works fell, once again, into the well structured and systematic understanding of history that I was taught. I knew what art was, what an artist does, and what art history represents. However, today I am in search of Marcel Duchamp. I had tripped over his work many times when down this corridor. And had been forced into theoretical corners as a student when a tutor asked, "Well what about Duchamp?!" Surely he was an artist like any other that had walked this corridor. I was today attempting to find Duchamp for myself. I began by reading many stories, histories, and commentries. I found theorists, who write that as soon as we think we have found Duchamp, he has disappeared from sight. These searches for Duchamp and previously known theories concerning Duchamp and his actions, all pointed to the one word: incommensurate. Incommensurate: Not commensurable: having no common measure, or standard of comparison.1 1 Blair, The Macquarie Dictionary, UK, The Jacaranda Press, 1982, p.460 9 I began to formulate my own theories. I was not going to let Duchamp win this game of hide and seek. Yet, ultimately my research led me to similar conclusions: Duchamp presented a labyrinth of complexity and contradiction. Duchamp was an artist whose work was made up of many different aspects that could not be brought together, or understood by the one concept. Aspects that upset, subverted, and disrupted the people who walked in this corridor and the way art was seen. At times Duchamp acted like a "proper" artist, producing very palatable Impressionist oil paintings like Church at Blainville (1902). He was a curator of exhibitions and also a generous patron to the Arts. Yet at other times, Duchamp was anything but "proper," with his 1917 act of submitting a urinal into an open sculpture exhibition and signing it R.Mutt; as well as a major work upon glass and another behind a locked door. The more I searched for Duchamp the more elusive he became. Through my frustration I began to pen a list hoping to find a link or a key that could reconcile all of the aspects of Duchamp's life and work. with no result. I wrote, Duchamp was French, American, a language teacher, librarian, philosopher, ascetic, bohemian, recluse, exhibitionist, An-artist, Anti Artist, film maker, musician, French National Chess Master, gambler, playboy, neglectful and devoted husband, father, painter, anti painter, sculptor, installationist, impressionist, cubist, surrealist, dadaist, cartoonist, writer, scientist, mathematician, satirist, . As I picked up my books, my theories, my discouraged self, and turned to walk out of the corridor of Art, I noticed a small pocket chess set that Duchamp had made. Memories of playing chess with my father stirred within me. How I would love to have a game of chess with Duchamp! It was then that I noticed a door close to me that said "The Corridor of Chess." I thought to myself that at some point Duchamp must have walked out of the corridor of Art through this very door. Yet this door was not the only door Duchamp could have passed through. I 10 saw doors that led to the corridors of Maths, Science, Philosophy, and others, doors that, at one stage, Duchamp opened and walked through, which led out of the corridor of Art.