What Is Art? Marcel Duchamp
Mondays, November 2 – November 23, 1 – 3pm
Carl Van Vechten. Marcel Duchamp, November 17, 1933. Philadelphia Museum of Art. Gift of Jacqueline, Paul, and Peter Matisse in memory of their mother, Alexina Duchamp, 1998
$220; members $198
(4 classes)
About the Class
Few artists changed the direction of art as profoundly as Marcel Duchamp. Challenging long-held assumptions about beauty, craftsmanship, and artistic authorship, Duchamp transformed ordinary objects and provocative ideas into some of the most influential works of the 20th century.
This four-session online course explores Duchamp’s career, from his notoriously big splash at the 1913 Armory Show to his secret Étant donnés project later in life. Together, we’ll focus on Duchamp’s refusal to play by the rules and discover how his “anti-art” paved the way for 20th-century conceptual art, assemblage, and performance-based art.
With the major retrospective opening in October at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in mind, unpack how Duchamp used his work to question the nature of art and its role in a modern world.
The class is online-only. More about online classes.
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- Sharpen your observational and critical-thinking skills.
- Improve your ability to communicate about art.
- Deepen your appreciation for cultures and histories outside your own.
Instructor
Matthew Palczynski
Palczynski is an independent art historian specializing in vanguard art from 1850 onward. He is an adjunct senior instructor at the Barnes and has taught at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture at Temple University since 2004. Palczynski also presents online talks for audiences and institutions worldwide, including Stanford University, the Wharton School, and Road Scholar.
What Students Are Saying
“Joe Tokumasu Field was a wonderful instructor. He’s patient, caring, and skilled at interacting with students’ questions and comments.” —The Japanese American Century with Joseph Tokumasu Field
“This was an exciting course with fascinating and informative lectures and well-chosen pictures. Franits is a brilliant teacher.” —17th-Century Dutch Art’s “Holy Trinity”: Hals, Rembrandt, and Vermeer with Wayne Franits
“The instructor was outstanding in every way—an expert in the subject, enthusiastic about the material, solicitous and supportive of students’ observations, and brilliant in expanding our discussion as warranted. The best Barnes instructor I’ve had, by far.” —The Nabis: Late 19th-Century Prophets of the New with Larissa Bailiff
“I enjoyed the course very much and liked how each week focused on a different topic relevant to the subject. Caterina is an engaging speaker, and you can tell she loves what she is teaching. Her enthusiasm and sense of humor come through.” —Famous Heists: Crimes in the History of Art with Caterina Pierre
“I felt at peace afterward and appreciated the art so much more than before.” —Being Present with Art: Cultivating Balance for Spring with Roksana Filipowska
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