Kurt Schwitters (1887-1948) scraped a living selling naturalistic paintings, while his ground-breaking collages, now recognised as some of the twentieth century’s most influential art works, were largely ignored. After his death, his legacy became the subject of one of the art world’s most acrimonious wrangles. With comments from some of the key players involved, the extraordinary tale of this scandal is told against the background of Schwitters’ difficult life and the innovative works he produced.
The Secret of Marcel Duchamp
Duchamp (1887-1968) was one of the most provocative and influential artists of the twentieth century. From 1923 onwards, he ceased to produce new work. Only after his death was the Etant Donnés revealed – an elaborate peepshow put together over twenty years. Including archive footage of the enigmatic artist himself, this programme explores the life and work of Duchamp, telling the story of a late love affair which affected him profoundly and inspired his final creation.