Menil Collection - Duchamp in California: Walter Hopps curates a Retrospective

Richly illustrated, this volume looks back on the hugely influential 1963 Marcel Duchamp retrospective in Pasadena, a watershed moment in 20th century art history and an outstanding exemplar of curatorial practice. The 1963 retrospective of Marcel Duchamp at California's Pasadena Art Museum, curated by Walter Hopps, is often cited as a watershed in twentieth- century art history. Duchamp's deployment of assemblagist, performative, conceptual, installation, and language-based works not only remade modern art but would also shape certain elements of global culture, a reawakening to the artist's impact on contemporary thought that was first on full display in Pasadena, California. The exhibition gained stature as an exemplar of curatorial practice, advanced by its compelling design and by critical acclaim. A diverse international group of artists gathered for the opening including Larry Bell, Billy Al Bengston, Wallace Berman, George Brecht, William Copley, Sam Francis, Joe Goode, Richard Hamilton, Dennis Hopper, Ed Kienholz, Alison Knowles, Marisol, and Patty Mucha.