Final answer:
Marcel Duchamp chose readymades to challenge traditional concepts of art, questioning the uniqueness and authorship of art objects and critiquing the art industry. His association with Dada's irreverent ethos influenced his approach, shaping the future of modern and contemporary art.
Step-by-step explanation:
Marcel Duchamp chose readymades as a form of art to challenge and redefine what is considered art. His adoption of everyday objects, such as a bicycle wheel, a stool, a bottle rack, and the iconic Fountain urinal, was a radical departure from traditional art-making. Duchamp's concept of readymades was succinctly defined as 'an ordinary object elevated to the dignity of a work of art by the mere choice of an artist.'
This reimagining of ordinary items as art critiqued the established art industry and questioned the unique status and authorship of the art object.nFurthermore, Duchamp's experience in New York, particularly his association with the Dada movement and figures like Francis Picabia and Man Ray, provided the ideal backdrop for his readymades. The Dada movement’s irreverence and its challenge to traditional values in art influenced Duchamp's approach.
Additionally, by presenting these readymades in an art context, initially meeting scorn but later influencing movements such as Pop Art and Conceptual Art, Duchamp propelled discussions that played a pivotal role in the evolution of modern and contemporary art.