“Rrose Sélavy TOKYO” is the name of an imaginary object shop conceived by Shuzo Takiguchi in the early 1960s, and named by Marcel Duchamp himself. The circumstances leading to the naming of the shop were as follows. When Takiguchi visited Europe as a commissioner for the Venice Biennale in 1958 and traveled around the region, he was introduced to Duchamp by Dali at his house in Cadaquès, and after returning to Japan, he maintained contact with Duchamp, dedicating his book Fantastic Artists (Shincho-sha, 1959. fg.1), which described 12 artists including Duchamp. Around 1963, Takiguchi began to have the idea of opening an imaginary object shop. On or about January 23, 1964, Takiguchi sent a letter to Duchamp, the originator of Ready Made objects, asking him to be the godfather of the shop, citing Duchamp’s famous female alias “Rrose Sélavy” as an example. Duchamp readily gave his permission to use it, as if it were a franchise or a branch. Thus here, the imaginary object shop “Rrose Sélavy TOKYO” was born and baptized.

fg.1　Shuzo Takiguchi “Fantastic Artists,” Shincho-sha, 1959

（Reference）

André Breton ”Anthologie de l’ Humour Noir,” Edition Sagittail,1950

---

In return for the naming, Takiguchi first presented Duchamp with a leaf of roto-dessin (drawings cocentric circles using a revolving motor, a technique he himself had pioneered. fg.2,3), enclosed with the letter of thanks, and then translated and produced “To and From Rrose Sélavy － Selected Words of Marcel Duchamp,” published in 1968（fg.4）. The publisher is listed as “Rrose Sélavy TOKYO.” The special edition, 60 copies, is accompanied by these 5 gorgeous multiples.  

1. Duchamp’s “Rrose Sélavy in the Wilson Lincoln System” (signed shortly before his death),

2. Jasper Johns’ original relief print “The Summer Critic” (numbered and signed),

3. Color print reproduction of Jean Tinguely’s “Collage Dessin” (signed),

4. Color print reproduction of Shusaku Arakawa’s “Still Life” (signed)

5. Color print reproduction of ”Self-Portrait in Profile” by Duchamp.

Hideo Kaido assisted Takiguchi as overall supervisor and manager. Kazuo Okazaki and Mitsuo Kano assisted in the production of the relief print by Jasper Johns.

---

fg.2　Shuzo Takiguchi “roto-dessin” （Production date unknown) (All rights reserved)

---

fg.3　Shuzo Takiguchi “roto-dessin” （Production date unknown) (All rights reserved)

---

fg.4　Shuzo Takiguchi “To and From Rrose Sélavy － Selected Words of Marcel Duchamp,” Rrose Sélavy TOKYO, 1968 (Photo : Tadasu Yamamoto) (All rights reserved)

---

This exhibition features relief work “The Summer Critic” by Jasper Johns (wax on painted board, the original model of the relief print) , which has not appeared in half a century, Takiguchi’s original drawings and notes for the publication poster, Takiguchi’s manuscripts of translation of Duchamp’s words, and other materials related to “To and From Rrose Sélavy,” and also features the multiple “Oculist Witnesses after Marcel Duchamp” by Takiguchi and Okazaki, and the handmade book “Tobira ni Torikage”（Fragments from Philadelphia Memorandum) by Takiguchi both published by Rrose Sélavy TOKYO, in an attempt to discover what the imaginary object shop “Rrose Sélavy TOKYO” actually is. Please come and take a look.（Some of the works will be changed from May 17.）

---

Exhibition views (All rights reserved)