Question

on a spring day in 1917, art critic frederick samuelson was reviewing submissions for the society of independent artists exhibition in new york city. when he came across an entry titled fountain. the piece, signed r. mutt, was a porcelain urinal turned on its back, with no alterations beyond the signature. he paused, puzzled by the object before him. it had been submitted by marcel duchamp, a well - known artist and key figure in the growing avant - garde movement in the art world. was it a prank, a critique, or an earnest attempt at art? the simplicity of the piece left him uneasy, as if the very notion of art itself were being called into question, or even treated with the seriousness it deserves. for samuelson, and many others, fountain was a baffling enigma, one that demanded deeper contemplation. fountain was rejected by the exhibition organizers, despite the societys proclaimed policy of accepting all works submitted by its members. the organizers argued that it lacked artistic merit and was offensive to the public. however, duchamps goal was not to create something traditionally beautiful or skillful. he wanted to shift the focus of art from craftsmanship to concept. in his view, an artists choice alone could transform an object into art. by signing fountain and placing it in the context of an art exhibition, duchamp redefined the boundaries of art and challenged audiences to reconsider their assumptions. art historian peter burger later described duchamps piece as an assault on the art establishment. fountain was not designed to be aesthetically pleasing, nor was it intended to evoke emotion through skillful techniques. instead, it served as an example of what burger referred to as art by designation, a process where the act of choosing and presenting an object transforms it into art. duchamp, he believed, argued that art should not be limited to paintings or sculptures created with painstaking effort. by elevating a mass - produced urinal to the status of art, ideas and context can hold as much weight as physical creation. duchamp himself saw fountain as more than a simple joke or provocation. in his later reflections, he insisted that the piece was a serious exploration of artistic freedom, acknowledging that he threw the urinal into the faces of art critics as a challenge. in that sense, fountain encapsulates the paradox of modern art: a work that began as an act of defiance has become an icon, celebrated for the very qualities it was once condemned for. question as it related to fountain, burgers definition of designation (highlighted) can best be understood to mean that. a art is any object that is signed by the artist who created it. b art is any object that an artist chooses as his or her subject. c critics have the power to designate any object a work of art based on their acknowledged expertise. d the act of displaying an object in an art gallery makes it universally accepted as art by critics and viewers.

Explanation:

The text discusses Marcel Duchamp's "Fountain" and art historian Peter Burger's view on Duchamp's idea of designation in art. Duchamp believed art should not be limited to traditional beautiful or skill - ful works. Burger's definition emphasizes that art is an object an artist chooses as their subject, breaking from the idea that art must be a traditionally created and aesthetically pleasing object.

Answer:

C. art is any object that an artist chooses as his or her subject.