THE RECURRENT, HAUNTING GHOST: Reflections of Marcel Duchamp in Modern and Contemporary Art
October 14, 2003 — March 14, 2004
The title for this exhibition comes from a remark made by Kirk Varnedoe in 1993 when he was reinstalling the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art. When asked by an interviewer for ARTnews if there were any significant changes, he noted that Picasso "was a little less prominent," while Duchamp was "the recurrent, haunting ghost." This show is dedicated to the memory of Kirk Varnedoe.
Whereas Duchamp's influence on contemporary art is a subject that has been addressed in several earlier exhibitions, this show will focus on his continuous and enduring presence, be it visually manifest in the work of art (as in the form of an actual effigy), or obliquely present (where his relationship to the work is not immediately apparent, but still detectable in ghostly fashion).
The show will officially open on Tuesday, October 14, 2003, but there is no specific end date planned, and it will be open by appointment only (call the number provided on the stationery below). Moreover, although most works included in the exhibition will remain on display for at least two months, the show will change over time, as works are periodically removed and replaced by others.
