The MoMA's retrospective of Marcel Duchamp is a masterclass in seeing the future in the past. His early paintings hint at his later, more radical artistic experiments, painting both as game and concept.

From his first readymade, a snowy landscape with two red dots, to The Large Glass, a canvas that seems as much about mechanics as it is art, Duchamp’s journey is one of evolving ideas. His early works show a sincere investment in traditional techniques, only for him to later abandon them wholesale.

It's fascinating how his iconic pieces like Nude Descending a Staircase and The Large Glass are displayed alongside their precursors, revealing the thought process behind each. Meanwhile, the sheer number of preparatory works on display underscores Duchamp’s meticulous attention to detail.

This exhibition is not just about art; it's about the artist’s journey from painter to conceptualist, and how these two roles are intertwined. It reminds us that art often grapples with the same questions as life itself: what does it mean to be human? What is real?