1913 Armory Show

       Urbanization directly led the 1913 Armory Show as it was completely funded by wealthy private donors who wanted better amenities in their cities and the craze that it attracted was only possible due to the large urban center that it was held in. The Armory Show attracted so much attention in great part because of press coverage, another example of how intense urbanization made the show possible. This was the first art event in the United States that allowed citizens to see the Cubism and Futurism that European artists had begun to create. Such pieces were often looked down upon because of their contemporary style, often times comparing it to something the whole public was used to, industry. The United States was so unaccustomed to this type of art, but ultimately, thanks to the Armory Show, the entire Western World broadened their spectrum of what art has the potential to be. 

         Without wealthy donors the 1913 Armory Show wouldn’t have even been considered, much less actually happened. These primarily white wealthy men, who made their money from the Industrial Revolution, were looking for more amenities in their town. Since they couldn’t find any, they then decided to make one of their own. The 1913 Armory Show had absolutely no public funding, with donors having to pay for not only all of the art present at the exhibit, but also for the behemoth of an armory that the event was held in (Armory Show). These men, so focused on making their town a more livable place for the most wealthy, actually provided one of the first steps toward creating the “largest change in public thinking about art since the Renaissance”(NPR).

        The art on display in the 1913 Armory Show came from a broad number of sources. However, without question, the art that drew the most attention was that of European artists who were focused on cubism and futurism. The most talked about of these paintings was “Nude Descending a Staircase” which was painted by Marcel Duchamp, a European artist. This is not to say that the Duchamp’s piece was the only one on display nor is it meant to say that this piece attracted all good press, it is simply to say that it attracted the most press. This piece was, for lack of a better word, mistreated by a press and by a public that had absolutely no knowledge of the incredible strides that this man and ones like him had been making towards furthering the progression of art (JStor).

        The press had an absolute field day with not only Duchamp’s piece but with the entire European collection on display. They commented on Duchamp’s piece saying that it was better described as “Rude Descending a Staircase (Rush Hour at the Subway)” (Hyperallergenic Photos)

This comic and ones like it helped in a manner of different ways. While they did discredit some of the most incredible works of art in that time period (The Evening Word), they helped to provide more publicity for the show, in a manner that was only possible because of the large urban center in which this press was broadcasting to. (Hyperallergenic photo)




Based on this solitary fact, it is clear to see that without the incredible amount of press coverage throughout the month long display of art that has come to be called the 1913 Armory Show, the United States would have most likely lost their chance to begin to progress as a society focused around the finer points of contemporary culture.
(HyperAllergenic Photo)



          Upon looking deeper into most of the criticism that came from Duchamp’s piece and ones like it, it is clear to see just how embedded industry is in the culture of the United States during that time period. Almost everything that “Nude Descending a Staircase was compared to involved industry, from the rush of people having to take the subway being exemplified by it to the influx of bills provided by the amount of goods available to buy, it’s obvious that industry was a major part of the average American’s life in this time period (Washington Times). This is just another example of how the 1913 Armory Show happening is in large part due to the rapid urbanization caused by Industrialization being such a huge part of day to day life.

        The 1913 Armory Show is more important to American history than most people of today’s time realize. It is one of the key examples of how the wealthy of the time period used their power to help better progress their city into a more habitable place for everyone, as well as providing the first steps towards a completely new form of art. Thanks to the 1913 Armory Show, America was not left behind in this constantly evolving and ever progressing world.




(Hyperallergenic Photo)



Source List:


NPR Change in Public Thinking Article

Armory Show Explanation of the Show as a Whole

Washington Times Industrial Criticism is Common

Hyperallergenic (All Photos)

Evening World Cubism Ridiculed Article

JStor Art Institute of Chicago people making fun had no knowledge Article