Marcel Challenges Jeff

Thank you Pompidou! You did it again!

Excellent idea of presenting two different artists, from different eras and so much to think about it.

I was invited to see Marcel Duchamp and Jeff Koons exhibition, happening at the same time but in two different exhibitions at the art centre in Paris.

Well, now I understand much more about the in-satisfaction of Duchamp and his reaction to the art world. Although Duchamp killed the painting with no mercy we have to understand he killed something he used to understand so perfectly.

Differently from Koons, Duchamps profoundly dominated the execution of all his artworks. He did to his life the same he did to his own inspirational painting entitled “The Large Glass”, also known as “The Bride Stripped Bare by her Bachelors, Even”.Gradually undressing it he discovered his truth and contemplated his reality without any regret.

Welcome to the real world, I mean, the one we live in… a world of constant revolution and in constant changing.

But wait a minute, I did not mean to offend Jeff.

I kind of like his work, I do identify with so many things of his universe as if it was my own.

The way he finishes everything perfectly, the way he tricks, the way he makes us think his art – yes, it is. His artworks are also kind of revolutionary but at the same time very boring… agreeable. I love the dog, I love the monkey, I love the blue balls. And the finishing… wow! What a perfectionist! His assistants must be masters. Machinery for production, perfect. The man has got eyes. He has got what it takes nowadays.

But wait a minute (number 2), the guy even did not start doing art and gets a retrospective exhibition in such a Museum? It must be a joke.  A joke of our reality in contemporary art.

I do like Jeff Koons, he makes me think and reflect about so many things. It is to me like opening a fashion magazine during a long distance airplane trip. It is good to kill time. It is necessary. Those giant bibelots are cute. I wish I can have one of those one day. For the time being I just do not take them so seriously. This is too contemporary. Am I contemporary enough?