Ready-made

Definition

A ready-made is an everyday object that is selected and presented as art, often challenging traditional notions of artistic creation and authorship. This concept emphasizes the idea that art can be made from pre-existing objects, which can provoke thought about the relationship between art, consumer culture, and societal values. Ready-mades highlight how the act of selection transforms mundane items into pieces of artistic significance.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Marcel Duchamp is credited with popularizing the ready-made concept through works like 'Fountain,' which challenged conventional ideas of what constitutes art.
2. 'Fountain' was simply a urinal turned upside down, illustrating how context and presentation could elevate everyday objects into significant artworks.
3. Ready-mades raise questions about authorship, as the artist's role shifts from creator to curator or selector.
4. The use of ready-mades paved the way for later movements like Pop Art, where consumer products became central themes in art.
5. Ready-mades challenge viewers to reconsider their perceptions of value and meaning in art, often invoking a sense of irony regarding consumer culture.

Review Questions

• How did Marcel Duchamp's use of ready-mades influence the definition of art in the early 20th century?
  • Marcel Duchamp's introduction of ready-mades significantly influenced the definition of art by expanding it beyond traditional craftsmanship and aesthetics. His work forced audiences to consider the context in which objects are presented, as exemplified by 'Fountain,' which was merely a mass-produced urinal recontextualized as art. This shift encouraged artists to explore new forms of expression and question the boundaries of what could be considered art.
• In what ways do ready-mades critique consumerism and challenge societal values?
  • Ready-mades critique consumerism by highlighting how mass-produced objects can be elevated to artistic status, forcing viewers to confront their own relationships with everyday items. This challenges societal values by questioning the distinction between high art and commercial products, emphasizing that meaning can be derived from any object based on its presentation. By choosing ordinary objects as art, artists expose the absurdity of consumer culture and prompt critical reflection on what we value.
• Evaluate the impact of ready-mades on contemporary art movements, particularly Pop Art.
  • The impact of ready-mades on contemporary art movements is profound, particularly in Pop Art, where artists like Andy Warhol incorporated commercial products and imagery into their work. Ready-mades laid the groundwork for questioning artistic originality and authorship, allowing Pop artists to celebrate consumer culture while critiquing it simultaneously. This interplay illustrates how ready-mades continue to resonate within modern art practices, encouraging a dialogue about authenticity, value, and identity in an increasingly commodified world.

Related terms

Dadaism: An avant-garde art movement that emerged in the early 20th century, characterized by its rejection of logic and embracing absurdity, often using ready-mades to challenge established artistic norms.

Conceptual Art: An art movement where the idea or concept behind the artwork is more important than the finished product itself, often utilizing ready-mades to illustrate this principle.

Consumerism: A social and economic order that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts, which ready-mades critique by showcasing the relationship between art and mass-produced items.