The Duchamp Dictionary Hardcover by Thomas Girst

Product Details

• Publisher: Thames and Hudson (2014-05-20)
• Language: English
• Paperback: 224 pages
• ISBN-13: 9780500239179
• Item Weight: 470.61 grams
• Dimensions: 21.49 x 15.09 x 2.64 cm

“Girst elegantly unravels the skeins of Duchamp’s thinking. . . . An essential compendium for puzzling out an essential artist.” —Richard Armstrong, Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation

Among the most influential artists of the last hundred years, Marcel Duchamp holds great allure for many contemporary artists worldwide and is largely considered to be one of the founding fathers of modern art. Despite this popularity, books on Duchamp are often hyper-theoretical, rarely presenting the artist in an accessible way. This new book explores the artist’s life and work through short, alphabetical dictionary entries that introduce his legacy in a clear and engaging way.

From alchemy and anatomy to Warhol and windows, The Duchamp Dictionary offers a pithy and readable text that draws on in-depth scholarship and the very latest research. Thomas Girst includes close to 200 entries on the most interesting and important artworks, relationships, people, and ideas in Duchamp’s life—from The Bicycle Wheel and Fountain to Walter and Louise Arensberg, Peggy Guggenheim, Katherine Dreier, and Arturo Schwarz. Delightful, newly commissioned illustrations introduce each letter of the alphabet and accompany select entries, capturing the irreverent spirit of the artist himself.

About the Author

Thomas Girst studied art history, American studies, and German literature at Hamburg University and New York University. Since 2003, he is the global head of cultural engagement at the BMW Group. Girst’s recent books include Art, Literature, and the Japanese American Internment; The Duchamp Dictionary; BMW Art Cars; and 100 Secrets of the Art World.

Luke Frost is an illustrator, printmaker, and graphic designer. He is part of Heretic, an experimental illustration and screen-printing studio founded in 2005.

Therese Vandling is an illustrator, printmaker, and graphic designer. Along with Luke Frost she is a member of of the experimental illustration and screen-printing studio, Heretic.