The artwork “With Hidden Noise” by Marcel Duchamp is a notable ready-made piece from the Dada movement, created in 1916. It measures 12.9 by 13 centimeters and falls within the installation genre. This work is part of the collection at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, located in Philadelphia, PA, US.
The artwork presents an intricate assemblage where a ball of twine is clamped between two brass plates, with the addition of four long screws at each corner that elevate the upper plate above the lower one. Enclosed within the twine, a small object, added by a friend of Duchamp’s, produces a sound when the piece is shaken, hence the title “With Hidden Noise.” The exact contents of the twine remain unknown, lending an air of mystery and ambiguity to the piece. This characteristic aligns well with Duchamp’s Dadaist inclinations, as it defies traditional expectations of art by incorporating readymade objects and engaging with the concept of chance.
