Thomas Girst - The Duchamp Dictionary

Marcel Duchamp (1887–1968) has entered mainstream culture as one of the founding fathers of modern art. Despite his popularity, books on Duchamp often shroud his work in theoretical and critical writing. Here, instead, is a book exploring the artist’s life and work in a thoroughly new and engaging manner, with short, alphabetical dictionary entries written in lively, jargon- free prose that at last allow Duchamp’s work and influence to be accessible and enjoyable for a wide audience.

Exploring Marcel Duchamp’s life and work in more than 200 alphabetical entries – from alchemy and anatomy to Warhol and windows, via the Bicycle Wheel, chess and the fourth dimension.

The book features the most interesting and important artworks, relationships, people and ideas in Duchamp’s life, from the 'Fountain', Peggy Guggenheim and Katherine S. Dreier to Arturo Schwarz.

Underpinned by the latest scholarship and research, Thomas Girst’s texts show how, in the words of contemporary artist Thomas Hirschhorn, Duchamp was ‘the most intelligent mind of his time’.

Thomas Girst has written extensively on modern and contemporary art and was founding editor of Tout-Fait: The Marcel Duchamp Studies Online Journaland author of The Indefinite Duchamp. He curated ‘Marcel Duchamp in Munich 1912’ at the Lenbachhaus, Munich (2012). He has been Head of Cultural Engagement at the BMW Group since 2003.