Duchamp Man Ray and Picabia

Duchamp Man Ray and Picabia is an exhibition that charts the art and relationship of three of the most seminal Dadaists of the previous century. With work spanning from the days of the First World War to a previously unseen worl by Duchamp that was revealed only after his death, the exhibition explores the themes of their work and the way in which Duchamp, Man Ray and Picabia created their art and influenced each other.

Working together and remaining friends for their entire lives, the artists Marcel Duchamp, Man Ray and Francis Picabia are at the heart of the Dada art movement. They created the movement in New York in the early days of the twentieth century, and formed friendships based on a shared outlook on life and their artistic manifesto, which centred on irony, humour and eroticism.

Starting from their work with Cubism and abstraction, the exhibition begins with pieces from 1912 and 1913, which many fans of the Dadaists may be unaware of. As Picabia was a painter and Man Ray worked in all sorts of different media, the show features many unusual formats such as films, painting, sculpture, rayographs and other objects. Duchamp's most famous piece, the signed urinal is one of the most iconic pieces from the period, and is often cited as a turning point in the progression of modern art.

Later paintings from Man Ray and Picabia, along with films by all three of the artists shed light onto their close working relationships, as to collections of letters, photographs, books and magazines. With themes such as puns in art and performance and play acting being centre in the films, you will be able to see the connections between the early Dadaists like Duchamp, Man Ray and Picabia, and the more modern artists who were heavily influenced by their style.

One of the most significant pieces on display in the exhibition is the work Given, which is showing at the Tate Modern for the first time, and has never been seen in Europe before. The newly made projected version is of the piece which is permanently installed in at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and was only revealed after his death in 1968.

On show until the 26th May, you can book tickets for Duchamp Man Ray and Picabia by calling 020 7887 8888 for more information.

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