CORY REYNOLDS | DATE 1/8/2013

Lost Treasure: Calvin Tomkins' Afternoon Interviews with Marcel Duchamp

In 1964, Calvin Tomkins interviewed Marcel Duchamp in the artist's apartment over a series of relaxed afternoons. The transcripts were never edited or published—until now, in a new collection from Paul Chan's Badlands Unlimited. The book is a delight to read, full of playful ideas and unguarded responses. For example, when asked about the importance of art dealers, Duchamp replied, "Very good and very bad at the same time. They have launched so many young people. They are the lice on the back of the artist. The collectors are also parasites. The artist is the beautiful flower on which all these parasites go around. I like them very much because they are very nice people, but that has nothing to do with their essential quality, which is to be a parasite on the artist." Featured image is reproduced from Marcel Duchamp: The Afternoon Interviews, by Calvin Tomkins.