Sean Tatol on the art of Libby Rothfeld - Artforum International
WHAT DISTINGUISHES Duchamp’s readymades from later artists’ found objects is that, as the first appropriated artworks, his were not yet automatically perceived as art. A urinal, a bottle rack, an advertisement for paint: These things remained what they were—unremarkable, mundane items—even when observed in an art gallery. Over time, the practice of displaying found objects became normalized and aestheticized, negating the full significance of Duchamp’s breakthrough. Appropriation, in some cases, had become as purely visual as painting, except that it took less work. Duchamp’s origi...
Source: artforum.com