Page 60 - Studio International - January February 1975

of multiplied contours. However, the the initial impetus may have been several consecutive movements.' The
impression of motion is minimal. It was encouraged by futurist ideas which were `exchanges between atoms' may refer to a
not until December 1911, with the Sad in the air, the concept of motion was passage from Matière et mèmoire:
Young Man in a Train and Nude totally different. The futurists looked `Imagine the universe composed simply
Descending a Staircase, No. 1, that toward movement to transcend the of atoms; in every one of them there will
Duchamp introduced overlapping object. More ideologically inclined, they be felt . . . to a degree varying with
silhouettes to project a kinetic dimension. spoke of it in terms of a 'fourth distance, the activity of every other atom
Duchamp's analysis of motion is more dimension', which one cannot see, but in the universe.'''
linear than Kupka's; his figures proceed which exists : the intuition, the sensation, Kupka was drawn toward movement
through space from one point to another, the atmosphere and essence of movement. through his interest in science which had
albeit along a serpentine path. Kupka's Probably influenced by Bergson," their taught him that nothing in life is still. He
studies tend to rotate around a fixed concept of movement denied space and found Cubism colourless, lifeless, static.
central axis. The two orientations are not time in an attempt to express the vital Duchamp, a much younger man, was
contradictory; Marey investigated both continuum. They openly denied any intrigued by Cubism but sought to
types of mobility." Finally in January interest in Marey, a denial which is develop his own interpretation of it. Like
1912, Duchamp arrived at his final unconvincing. However, the following Muybridge, the cubist painter moved
version of the Nude Descending a quote from Bergson expresses their around his subject. Whereas Duchamp
Staircase. After noting that he was attitude, an attitude which is antithetical and Kupka induced the subject to move
interested in 'the separation of static to Marey's : 'Consider a movement in before their eyes. Their studies of figures
positions in the photochronographs of space . . . Along the whole of this in motion reintroduced an illusion of
Marey . . . Eakins and Muybridge', movement we may imagine possible depth or a third dimension to their art.
Duchamp continued in his notes : 'I stoppages . . . but with these positions, The virtual volumes thus produced,
discarded completely the naturalistic even with an infinite number of them, we particularly visible in Kupka's case, led
appearance of a nude, keeping only the shall never make movement.'16 At least them away from the restrictive staticity
abstract lines of some twenty different Kupka seemed aware of both alternatives. and flatness of Cubism and into new
static positions in the successive action of On a small drawing" of 1909 he wrote: interpretations of the function of the
descending.' " `Three-dimensional movement is picture plane. Their culminations were
The important pictures for both performed in space, whereas four- Duchamp's Large Glass, started in 1913
and Kupka's Fugue for Two Colours of
Kupka and Duchamp were executed dimensional movement is produced 1912.
prior to the futurist exhibition at through exchanges between atoms. In
Berheim-Jeune. They are fully order to set down a gesture a movement
developed in their conception. Although on the space of a canvas . . . set down

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