The artwork titled “In Advance of the Broken Arm” was created by Marcel Duchamp in 1915. Falling under the Dada art movement, this installation piece is a ready-made work of art, meaning that it utilizes a pre-existing object with little to no modification by the artist. The dimensions of the artwork measure 35 x 132 cm. Currently, this thought-provoking piece is housed in the Israel Museum, located in Jerusalem, Israel.
The artwork itself is a standard snow shovel, rendered in its original, unaltered form. Its simple, utilitarian design serves as a compelling statement on the nature of art, questioning traditional perceptions and the role of the artist in the creation process. Duchamp’s choice of an everyday object emphasizes the Dada movement’s inclination toward the absurd and challenges the conventional aesthetics of art. The clean lines and the practical form of the shovel highlight its functional purpose, while its presentation as art transforms it into a conceptually rich piece, inviting viewers to reconsider the boundaries of artistic expression.
