Duchamp 1200 Coal Bags

In 1973, Sturtevant (1924-2014) reproduced Marcel Duchamp’s installation 1200 Coal Bags (1938) composed of a set of ready-mades hanging from the ceiling, in a dark piece: coal sacks, charcoal stoves, bottle holders, a bicycle wheel... Her copy Duchamp 1200 Coal Bags, which features some inaccuracies - the American artist reproduced the work by hand and from memory - echoes the confusion around the notions of authorship and authenticity, as introduced by Duchamp.

This critical dimension of the effect of an artwork’s technical replicability on its value was at the heart of Sturtevant’s practice from the 1960s. By making detailed replicas of canonical works by her contemporaries, artists who defined the 20th century, she questions the concept of copyright. Homage or misappropriation, her work sparked a revolution in terms of originality and signature.

Part of the Pinault Collection, Sturtevant’s work Duchamp 1200 Coal Bags was first shown at the "Eloge du Doute" (“In Praise of Doubt”) exhibition at the Punta della Dogana (2011-2013).