Dadaist vermouths in honour of Duchamp
Every Sunday in October, the Fundació Tàpies opens its terrace to offer an aperitif that evokes the enigmatic R. Mutt.
The dadaist artist Marcel Duchamp is becoming the union link between the two exhibitions available at the Fundació Tàpies: Saâdane Afif. Els arxius de la Font i més enllà and Tàpies. La realitat en primer pla.
There are two reasons why this binding role is happening. The first one is that his work, Fountain, from 1917, is the starting point of Saâdane Afif's monumental archive. The second one, because of the influence that Duchamp had on Antoni Tàpies since 1954 when the Barcelona artist started to incorporate objects into his works to consolidate his own language in the "matter paintings". This way, the materials stopped being the subject of an idea and became the idea itself. The canvas was no longer a window that would let people see through it, but it had become a wall.
Just as Saâdane Afif's entire installation revolves around Duchamp's Fountain, La realitat en primer pla illustrates the footprint that that urinal, placed upside down and signed by an enigmatic R. Mutt, had in Tàpies's career, throughout which the banal or everyday object had always had an important presence.
The vermouths start at 12pm with a guided tour of the exhibitions in Catalan and last an hour and a half. The complete experience is 15 euros per person, and the aperitif consists of a glass of Vr. Mutt's vermouth — "artist's vermouth" is on the label in homage to Duchamp's urinal — accompanied with chips, olives and an assortment of croquettes made by chef Nandu Jubany for the Ametller Origen Mercat d'Autors section.
Capacity is limited, which means registration is essential. Book your spot by emailing activitats@ftapies.com.