Looking through Duchamp's Door

In this new book by Hans Belting, three essays are united by one theme—the persistence of perspective after its supposed demise in the hands of modernism. Belting addresses perspective in the works of Marcel Duchamp, Hiroshi Sugimoto and Jeff Wall, in the process opening up new approaches to their work. According to Belting, the door that Marcel Duchamp installed for his final masterpiece, “Etant Donnés” (which Belting tells us was inspired by a bout of seasickness on a trip to Buenos Aires) was a decisive touchstone for both Sugimoto and Wall in their formative years, and he demonstrates how they have referenced its maker many times since. Belting's argument, embellished with many illustrations, makes for a thorough reassessment of perspective.