Product Description

Marcel Duchamp: The Art of the Possible explores the life, philosophy and impact of one of the most influential early 20th century modernists, Marcel Duchamp. The film breaks down Duchamp s ideas and applies them to both historical events and the modernist explosion that blanketed the early 20th century. Art of the Possible isn t simply a biopic; rather, the film shows how Duchamp s ideas changed the public consciousness, and our understanding of aesthetics, art, and culture. The film highlights the singular impact of Duchamp s philosophy on art, and, more importantly, examines how Duchamp s revolutionary ideas from the early 20th century have shaped the 21st century and modern day. Ultimately, Marcel Duchamp: Art of The Possible is a guide to exploring the possibilities in every art endeavor and showcasing how Duchamp s ideas gave generations of artists the intellectual backing to pursue new ideas.

Review

Marcel Duchamp: The art of the possible is an illuminative account of the origin and legacy of the Father of conceptualism Marcel Duchamp. An inspiration to an enormous variety of artists, it wouldn t be difficult to find people to speak about his impact, but director Matthew Taylor excels in gathering top-tier voices to illustrate the point. Artists (Marina Abramovic), musicians (David Bowie), and filmmakers (Michel Gondry) alike cite Duchamp as the foundation for their respective practices. Associated with myriad art movements including Dada, Cubism, and Conceptualism, Duchamp is known for creating paintings, sculpture and film. It is fitting, therefore, that Matthew Taylor is himself a multi-disciplinary artist. Taking on the establishment of his day, Duchamp likens art to religion It is irrelevant he says, with too much emphasis on places of worship and not enough on intent. The key to his philosophy is found in a succinct statement: I don t believe in art. I believe in artists. It s clear to see throughout Taylor s documentary what a profound effect Duchamp had on the people around him. Even decades after his death, his stepson Paul Matisse (Grandson of Henri) is visibly upset at recalling his funeral. Marcel Duchamp: The art of the possible is a chronological account. At 86 minutes, it is thorough but does drag a little in places. It s heavy on the talking heads historians, and although their monologues are thoroughly informative, their enthusiasm fails to transfer to the audience. But stick with it the pace picks back up once Duchamp makes it to New York. Matthew Taylor s documentary is more than a potted history for art students. It is an excellent source for anyone interested in visual culture, 20th Century history, or rejecting the establishment. --Battle Royale With Cheese

The recently released Art of the Possible is a feature documentary exploring the life, work, and impact of one of the most influential early 20th century artists, Marcel Duchamp. Inventive and controversial, Duchamp was the catalyst for many of the artistic developments of his time, and the source of significant changes in popular views of art and culture through both his artwork and his essays. Living through a period of scientific discovery and dynamic change, Duchamp allowed new ways of thinking and new forms of technology to influence and inform his art, while attempting to use his artwork, in turn, to express ideologies and provoke new ways of thinking. The same was done by various schools of art at the time, including Dada and Cubism, but few artists had the broad influence of Duchamp. Largely responsible for the spread of conceptual art, and the inventor of the genre known as Readymade, he is perhaps best known for a distinctive form of found art, in which common objects are altered in such a way as to prevent the viewer from comfortably defining their purpose, forcing further thought. The film begins with Duchamp s childhood and his controversial early Cubist work, including his initially rejected Nude Descending a Staircase, and further developments in his work which inspired a flurry of discussions over the question what is art? and on through his influence on significant artists such as Andy Warhol, John Cage, Yoko Ono, and Jasper Johns, among others, as well as on the mid-20th century Fluxus art movement, and even on contemporary graphic artists and musicians. In the process, the film also examines Duchamp s views on aesthetics, culture, and the impact of technology on society, exploring the ways in which Duchamp s philosophy has influenced 21st-century thinking and historical events. Filmmaker and art scholar Matthew Taylor dates his interest in Duchamp from his early days in art school, where he first read Calvin Tomkins biography of the artist, and became fascinated by the revolutionary attitude toward conventional rules of art. Years later, having developed his craft in the making of over 100 short films, he began the five-year project by seeking out artists who were personally acquainted with Duchamp, travelling the world to interview them and collect background for a biographical film. Duchamp s broad influence is made clear by the range of fellow artists and admirers involved in the production, including David Bowie, who opens the film s third act with a discussion of Duchamp s Creative Act Essay and its prediction of present-day social media. The film also features an array of prominent names in the art world, including filmmakers Marina Abramovic and Michel Gondry, artist and inventor Paul Matisse, pop-art painter Edward Ruscha, and photographer and architect Hiroshi Sugimoto. Following a series of international screenings, Art of the Possible will be released on iTunes and Amazon beginning March 10. --Far Out Magazine

Available on iTunes and Amazon on March 10, 2020, comes a new documentary film from Electrolift Creative Productions, Marcel Duchamp: The Art of the Possible. Directed by Matthew Taylor and produced by Michelle Taylor, the 90-minute film mixes biography and opinion to create an intriguing portrait of artist Marcel Duchamp. Marcel Duchamp was born in Normandy, France in 1887. The film begins with family photos and a quick introduction to Duchamp's youth and then, like the artist himself, quickly sets off for Paris and the art world. Duchamp's primary artistic mentors were his older brothers, artists Raymond Villon and Jacques Villon. The brothers studied Impressionism, post-Impressionism and sold cartoons to make money while attending classes at the Académie Julian. Duchamp made his first big splash at the Salons des Independents exhibition in Paris in 1912 with Nude Descending a Staircase No. 2. The organizers of the show considered the title too provocative and Duchamp, refusing to change the title, even at the advice of his brothers, withdrew the piece from the exhibition. Duchamp never worked well in groups and left Paris for Munich, and then America, where he landed in New York. The famous Armory Show of 1913 accepted Nude Descending a Staircase No. 2. It was the sensation of the show, receiving tons of press coverage, mostly negative, yet propelling Duchamp to art star status. He met art patrons Louise and Walter Arensberg, who agreed to pay his studio rent in return for acquiring his work, especially The Large Glass (The Bride Stripped Bare by her Bachelors, Even), which took him twelve years to complete. Marcel Duchamp: The Art of the Possible poses the question: what would modern art be like without Duchamp? He shirked traditional art-making techniques. His way of making art was cerebral. He believed that language could transport you to another world. His artistic output is comprised as much of his notes and ideas for artwork as it is his actual art pieces, many of which currently reside in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Duchamp believed in a new way of making art. He used chance to create pieces, and believed that art should be an open, experimental activity. Creativity itself, his ideas, was the art. He often said that art is made by an artist but doesn't achieve its final purpose until it is seen by the viewer. This idea may have been most clearly embodied in his ready-mades pieces of sculpture made from common everyday objects such as a shovel (In Advance of the Broken Arm, 1915), bottle rack, (Bottle Rack, 1914), bicycle wheel (Bicycle Wheel, 1913), and urinal (Fountain, 1917). Always a provocateur, Duchamp's sculptures shocked (and sometimes still continue to shock) art audiences. They challenge what we think of art, what art can be. Duchamp wanted to expand the definitions of art. It is undeniable the readymades had a huge effect on artists of subsequent generations, most notably Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, and Andy Warhol. Entire modern art movements and genres like Fluxus, happenings, body art, performance art, pop art, conceptual art, and '80s appropriation art all owe a debt to Duchamp. Although he may have had a profound influence on many art movements, Duchamp never wanted to associate his own work with the movents of his day, such as Surrealism or Dada. Marcel Duchamp: The Art of the Possible helps make the case that he helped shift the focus of the art world from Paris to New York. Marcel Duchamp: The Art of the Possible uses film and stills of Duchamp's artwork as well as his own recorded words. Filling in the blanks and helping tell his story are artist interviews and film clips of Joseph Kosuth, Ed Ruscha, Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Jeff Koons, Carolee Schneeman, David Bowie, Marina Abramovic, and others. Interviewed art world --Cinemasentries

• Package Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.52 x 5.39 x 0.67 inches; 2.65 ounces
• Director ‏ : ‎ Matthew Taylor
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ NTSC
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 26 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ February 1, 2020
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Marina Abramovic, Michel Gondry, Jeff Koons, Joseph Kosuth, Paul Matisse
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Electrolift Creative
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1