Infinite Regress: Marcel Duchamp’s Legacy and Modernity

David Joselit’s Infinite Regress: Marcel Duchamp 1910-1941 is a rigorous exploration of Marcel Duchamp’s transformative influence on modern and contemporary art. As one of the most enigmatic figures of the 20th century, Duchamp’s works defy easy categorization, challenging traditional notions of creativity, authorship, and the very definition of art. Joselit situates Duchamp’s artistic output within the broader cultural and intellectual currents of his time, dissecting how the artist’s radical ideas have shaped the trajectory of art history. This essay delves into the major themes of Joselit’s book, examining Duchamp’s innovative use of the readymade, his interrogation of representation, and the implications of his work on modernity and artistic practice.

Source: Hunter College MFA in Studio Art - David Joselit

The Readymade and the Question of Authorship

The concept of the readymade lies at the heart of Duchamp’s revolutionary approach to art. By selecting everyday objects—such as a urinal (Fountain, 1917) or a bottle rack (Bottle Rack, 1914)—and recontextualizing them as art, Duchamp effectively dismantled the traditional understanding of artistic labor and craftsmanship. Joselit argues that this move was not a mere act of provocation but a profound critique of the cultural and institutional mechanisms that define and value art.

The readymade forces the viewer to question the role of the artist. Is the act of selection itself an act of creation? By signing Fountain with the pseudonym “R. Mutt,” Duchamp also deconstructed the concept of authorship, suggesting that the identity of the artist could be as arbitrary as the object itself. Joselit highlights how this subversion of authorship resonates with postmodern theories of intertextuality and the “death of the author,” as articulated by Roland Barthes. In this sense, the readymade prefigures contemporary practices of appropriation, where artists like Sherrie Levine and Jeff Koons recontextualize existing objects or images to critique originality and authorship.

Duchamp’s Engagement with Modernity

Joselit situates Duchamp’s work within the broader context of modernity, emphasizing the tension between tradition and innovation in his practice. Early 20th-century Europe was marked by rapid industrialization, technological advancement, and profound social upheaval. Artists of the time grappled with the implications of these changes, often seeking new ways to represent the complexities of the modern world.

Duchamp’s The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even (The Large Glass) (1915–1923) epitomizes his engagement with modernity. This enigmatic work, constructed from industrial materials like glass and metal, presents a fragmented narrative that defies conventional interpretation. Joselit interprets The Large Glass as a meditation on the mechanization of human relationships and the dehumanizing effects of industrialization. The depiction of the bride and bachelors as mechanical forms suggests a loss of individuality and intimacy, themes that resonate with contemporary critiques of technological alienation.

Joselit further links Duchamp’s use of machines to the Futurists and Dadaists, who similarly grappled with the aesthetics of mechanization. However, while Futurism celebrated the dynamism of technology, Duchamp adopted a more ambivalent stance, using mechanical imagery to question the relationship between human agency and technological determinism.

Representation and the Limits of Perception

Duchamp’s interrogation of representation is another cornerstone of Joselit’s analysis. Throughout his career, Duchamp sought to challenge the primacy of visual perception in art, advocating for a more cerebral and conceptual approach. This is exemplified in his early experiments with Cubism, such as Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2 (1912). In this work, Duchamp deconstructs the human form into a series of dynamic, overlapping planes, drawing inspiration from both Cubist fragmentation and Futurist motion.

However, Duchamp quickly moved beyond the aesthetic concerns of Cubism, seeking to transcend the visual altogether. Joselit examines how Duchamp’s later works, such as Rotoreliefs (1935), blur the boundaries between art and science, exploring the mechanics of vision and optical illusion. These spinning discs create an interplay between motion and stillness, compelling the viewer to question the reliability of perception. Joselit interprets this as part of Duchamp’s broader project to destabilize fixed meanings and challenge the dominance of the visual in art.

Language plays a crucial role in Duchamp’s critique of representation. Works such as With Hidden Noise (1916) incorporate textual elements and wordplay, using puns and double meanings to create layers of ambiguity. Joselit connects this linguistic experimentation to semiotic theory, arguing that Duchamp’s use of language disrupts the conventional relationship between signifier and signified. By integrating language into his art, Duchamp opens up a space for interpretation that resists closure, embodying the “infinite regress” central to Joselit’s thesis.

Source: Finestre Sull' Arte - Marcel Duchamp

The Artist as a Mediator of Ideas

One of the most striking aspects of Duchamp’s practice, as Joselit emphasizes, is his role as a mediator rather than a creator. Duchamp’s decision to withdraw from traditional artistic production in the 1920s—devoting himself to chess and sporadic artistic projects—further underscores his rejection of conventional artistic roles. Joselit argues that this withdrawal was not an abdication of responsibility but a strategic repositioning, allowing Duchamp to influence the trajectory of art from a critical distance.

Étant donnés (1946–1966), Duchamp’s final major work, encapsulates his complex relationship with creation and mediation. Constructed in secrecy over two decades, this installation combines elements of sculpture, painting, and assemblage to create a voyeuristic tableau that confronts the viewer with questions of desire, mortality, and the limits of representation. Joselit interprets Étant donnés as a culmination of Duchamp’s career-long exploration of the tension between visibility and invisibility, materiality and immateriality.

Legacy and Contemporary Relevance

Joselit’s Infinite Regress not only sheds light on Duchamp’s historical significance but also underscores his enduring relevance to contemporary art. Duchamp’s strategies of appropriation, linguistic play, and conceptual focus have profoundly influenced movements such as conceptual art, minimalism, and postmodernism. Artists like Joseph Kosuth and Barbara Kruger continue to draw on Duchampian principles, using language and context to interrogate the nature of art and its relationship to society.

Joselit’s interdisciplinary approach—integrating art history, philosophy, and cultural theory—provides a comprehensive framework for understanding Duchamp’s work. By situating Duchamp within the broader cultural and intellectual currents of his time, Joselit reveals the depth and complexity of his engagement with modernity. At the same time, the book invites readers to reflect on the evolving definitions of art, authorship, and representation in an increasingly globalized and mediated world.

Conclusion

David Joselit’s Infinite Regress: Marcel Duchamp 1910-1941 is a masterful exploration of one of modern art’s most influential figures. Through a meticulous analysis of Duchamp’s works and ideas, Joselit illuminates the radical strategies that have shaped the trajectory of contemporary art. From the subversive power of the readymade to the conceptual depth of Étant donnés, Duchamp’s practice continues to challenge and inspire, reminding us that the boundaries of art are as fluid and dynamic as the society it reflects.