If one Japanese who feel that “Fontaine 1917” is splendid work, when he looks at it for the first time, I think he is strange or too eccentric .It took for 20 years for me to understand the meaning of that great object. But at the first glance for everyone, it’s only looks as a classic urinal itself. Nothing but a classical “urinal” .One of my aquaintance say,

“ so I don`t like modern art. Generally speaking, so to speak, modern art is self- complacent. Nobody feel it beautiful who looks “Fontain 1917” with a little water falling.

I see. I agree with this idea. It’s frank opinion, I agree. I think perhaps he is standing more closer to Marcel Duchamp than many other spectators who glances and think it as a funny forerunner of avant-garde art in early 20 th century, on smile.But I think it is also necesarry for us to feel like him. There is only one entrance to understand the meanning of “Fontaine 1917” .

When it is used as a “urinal” ( propper usage ) ,it’s fixed on wall in standing style( center hole : hole for water supply to lay upper side ) . On the other hand, “Fontaine1917”is exhibited in lying style whenever in show. But it looks as only one “urinal”even if shown in lying style. And then ,why Marcel Duchamp insisted on his urinal as art ,and disputed about modern art, why this incident has seriously influenced many people ,inspire many artists ,even now today?

Marcel Duchamp was a French man, born in Normandy ( north of France ) 1887, and emmigrated to United States of America in 1915 during WWⅠ. And flourished mainly in New York. ”Fontaine1917" is one of his works when he was thirty. In addition , this work is new material , not used one, I hear. He bought it and entried .This story is very popular , so I won't repeat here.

We occur to one thing, when we travel in Europe where Duchamp was grown up. Human made springs were lay-outed here and there in many country (having long history) , even in the pastral town .They are as if essential facilities for city planning. For example ,famous Trevi Fountain in Rome ( in Italy. not in France ) made in 1762, have been loved throughout more than two centuries, perhaps forever.

Well …….do you find out something?

Poseidon Statue is good, but something else….
This is “Fontaine1917”↓please look at the edge .

This man is Mr.Duchamp↑. Smoking at his exhibition hall.

In short,
“Fontaine1917” is one kind of architectural miniature models sized about 10 meters heights in the idea of Duchamp!
People in the U.S or Europe must imagine the completed building when they look at “Fontaine1917”! We,Japanese , don’t know the springs in the town here and there. One more thing, the idea that springs are essential facilities of city element, don't exist in Japanese city planning,traditionally. His work is beyond our span of thought.If Monsieur Duchamp is here, I would say to him,please explain details more about “Fontaine1917”, we, one of Asian race, have no history like your mother countries. (living in stone made house , and our city planning is different from yours…and so on.)




By the way , I like the movie “Legend of 1900” . Japanese title is “A pianist on the sea” , directed by Tornatore,Itarian movie director. The reason why I talk about this movie is that I think it is the best film showing the image of early America and dreams of emmigrants from Europe. They farewelled their mother country Europe, emmigrated in America having one kind of sense like sadness and hope. More than 100 years had passed from Declaration of Independence , Statue of Liberty , gifted by France, was beautiful. Main character ,1900( Nineteenhundred is his name ) decided to live on the land of America ,step down from his ship ,stood on deck , and looked at the big city of New York, many skyscrapers , noise of cars….. . He hesitated to get down, and at last , decided to live on ship throughout all his life ,and came back to his home ship over Atlantic Ocean . New York was discribed as so terrible world in this movie. I don't know whether springs like that of in Europe exist or not. But perhaps Duchamp felt that springs like that of Europe is neccesary here , New York. And It must be designed as modern style. I also feel that Old New Yok is too cool ,lack of elegance because the major idee was only functionalism or capitalism etc. Duchamp must think that new style spring fitted in new world must be created , as the facility of new city planning concept.

We, Japanese, already have seen new archtectural style, for example “Odaiba”

Replica : Statue of liberty in Odaiba ↑

Thank you for your reading my long essay . And then , Don’t you feel the line of “Fontaine1917” looks like line of veil , Virgin Marry wears? Don't you feel it more beautiful? I feel the heart of European people in this curious work:“Fontaine1917”．Ｌoving their own countris , loving their own history, and above all the willness toward the future.

European people usually see springs from big one to little one in their daily life. And their ancestors also saw springs here and there. From the another standpoint of view,these springs have been seeing lives of people for long time. Duchamp's thought must be the continuation of daily life in New York ,the feeling must be “Our new world lacks something important!.”

He was born in Normandy, emigrated in New York when he was 28 years old.Young Duchamp drew a lot of landscapes about future world .

This is my degital composition drawing. Hoping near by Duchamp’s dream.

How do you think about?
.
( Dear for all Asian fellows who love history of modern art )