The Easel

Archives: Andrew Russeth

30th September 2025

The Trailblazing, Shapeshifting Artist Suzanne Duchamp Gets a Museum Retrospective, Finally

Marcel Duchamp had a sister who also was an artist. Who knew? Early in her career, Suzanne made “superb”, colourful Dadaist images but in 1922, abruptly turned to figuration. Those “somewhat awkward” paintings have not served her reputation well. Says one writer, she was freely exhibited in her lifetime so her significance now is mainly as a female contributor to the male-dominated dada story. Was she a major artist? Perhaps not, as it seems she prioritised personal interest over career maximisation.