Fountain at The Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco

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Fountain stands as one of Duchamp's most iconic works and a defining symbol of twentieth-century art. The original, now lost, was a standard urinal laid flat on its back rather than in its typical upright position, signed 'R. Mutt 1917'. The Tate's replica is a 1964 creation made from glazed earthenware painted to resemble the original porcelain and features a reproduced signature in black paint. Fountain exemplifies what Duchamp termed a 'readymade', an ordinary manufactured object designated by the artist as a work of art, embodying the Dada movement's assault on convention and good taste. The concept of designating such an everyday object as a work of art stemmed from a conversation between Duchamp and his American friends Walter Arensburg, a collector, and Joseph Stella, an artist. Following this discussion, Duchamp purchased an urinal from a plumbers' merchant and submitted it to an exhibition organized by the Society of Independent Artists. The Board of Directors, bound by their constitution to accept all submissions, took issue with Fountain and refused to exhibit it. Duchamp and Arensburg, both members of the Board, promptly resigned in protest. An article published at the time, attributed to Duchamp, claimed, 'Mr Mutt's fountain is not immoral; that is absurd - no more than a bathtub is immoral. It's a fixture you see every day in plumbers' shop windows. Whether Mr Mutt made Fountain with his own hands has no importance. He chose it. He took an ordinary article of life, placed it so its useful significance disappeared under the new title and point of view - created a new thought for that object.' This artwork is part of "Scan The World", a non-profit initiative launched by MyMiniFactory to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from across the globe for public access. Scan The World is an open-source community effort where individuals can contribute interesting items by emailing stw@myminifactory.com to learn how they can participate.