Dalí/Duchamp

Dali/Duchamp examines in detail the often-overlooked relationship between two of the twentieth century´s most famous artists. Though polar opposites at first glance, Duchamp, the father of conceptual art who rejected painting in 1918; and the more showman-like Dali, the exceptional painter of fantastical landscapes; were united by a combination of humour and scepticism that led both to challenge conventional views of art and life. After meeting in the 1930s through mutual contacts within the Surrealist group, they maintained a firm friendship over the following decades, spending time together in Paris, New York and Catalonia, where Duchamp purchased a summer house in Cadaques, close to Dali´s home in Port Lligat. Throughout the book, expert contributors explore themes common to both artists, chief among them eroticism and identity, and both men´s surprising engagement with science, optics, religion and myth. Each section is sumptuously illustrated with key pieces from both artists´ bodies of work, and features previously unpublished photographs, letters and ephemera that demonstrate the enduring warmth of their friendship.