Why Not Sneeze, Rrose Sélavy?

Why not Sneeze, Rrose Sélavy?

I have in mind the occasion when Marcel Duchamp got hold of some friends to show them a cage which seemed to have no birds in it, but to be half-full of lumps of sugar. He asked them to lift the cage and they were surprised at its heaviness. What they had taken for lumps of sugar were really small lumps of marble which at great expense Duchamp had had sawn up specially for the purpose. The trick in my opinion is no worse than any other, and I would even say that it is worth nearly all the tricks of art put together. –Andre Breton

This was the first thing to cross my mind when I thought of manipulation in art. It seems like an interesting example to me. The work is dada and one of Duchamp's readymades. He forces the viewer to interact, tricks them, and works on various levels of significance beyond; it's promise of sweetness ultimately a burden. Then I was thinking dada and found some more examples from Man Ray, and Marcel Duchamp. Man Ray manipulated objects in his art to convey ideas, and ideas to convey his dreams.

Le Violon d'Ingres

Kiki's body is as finely crafted as the instrument,

or

Man Ray could play the young parisian as one would an instrument.




In any case a proiminent theme is manipulation.








Monument to Sade


The image was cropped and illustrated by Man Ray, taking on entirely new significance.
















Marcel Duchamp as Rrose Selavy

The artist is his own work of art. Early photographs of Duchamp as Selavy were apparently masculine. This later image refines the concept to something more glamorous.

Cross dressing seems profoundly manipulative.
















Marquise Casati






Simply reimposing the image for three pairs of eyes creates an otherworldly effect.










Dora Maar


Partially solarized, except the hand and face.

< Note the pair of amputated hands.
Tears


False tears from a true manniquin. Again there is deep significance to a simple manipulation.










Le Monde (The World)






A rayograph coupled with a photo. Great contrasts.










Profile and Hands





Solarization effect dramatically alters the original photograph.


These were all by Man Ray, this last one is another perfect example of manipulation by Duchamp.



L.H.O.O.Q.


A cheap reproduction of the Mona Lisa with a mustache drawn on. The title roughly means to say she has a hot ass. The statement is one of perverted beauty.