Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968) joined the Oulipo on 16 March, 1962, as an American correspondent. Painter, sculptor, poet, initiator of the readymade and new directions in modern art, he began his most ambitious project — La mariée mise à nu par ses célibataires, même — after having discovered Raymond Roussel’s Impressions d’Afrique. His friendship with François Le Lionnais was initiated by their mutual interest in chess; Duchamp competed professionally from 1929 to 1933. In the ‘30s he often collaborated with Katherine Drier bringing modern artist to New York and organizing some of the most important expositions of the era. In 1959, he was inducted into the Collège de ‘Pataphysique under the title Transcendental Satrape and with the additional honorary mention of Maître de l’Ordre de la Grande Gidouille.
Photo by Manray.