ready-made

A ready-made is an ordinary object, often mass-produced, that artists select and present as art. Instead of creating something new, the artist recontextualizes these common items to challenge perceptions of art and creativity. This concept, popularized by Marcel Duchamp in the early 20th century, transformed everyday objects—like a urinal or a bicycle wheel—into artistic statements simply by their chosen presentation. Ready-mades encourage viewers to reconsider the nature of art, originality, and the artist’s role, emphasizing ideas over craftsmanship and expanding the boundaries of artistic expression.