During Easter 1916, Marcel Duchamp presents the art world with a fascinatingly simple creation titled ‘With Hidden Noise (A Bruit Secret)’. This piece consists of a small brass flower press like structure with a ball of twine in between the two plates (Figure One).

The rather unique secret of this piece reveals itself when shaken, a hidden rattle, an unidentifiable object within placed there by his friend. The genius is that Duchamp never knew what was inside, only inviting something to be placed in there to create a hidden noise. I think down to historical context this piece is diversly minimal yet complexing as it gives off a mix between early modernity into futurism and playing with the idea of breaking from more classical artistic boundaries. The secret hidden noise is an idea that frustrates the viewer and the artist himself, it also brings imagination to the plate as it’s only possible to guess what the object inside is when shaking it. There is only one objectionable way to find out what is inside, but that destroys the piece; adding to this, one cannot possibly try to work out what the object is which I find leaves the viewer feeling incomplete in their observations of the piece which is a charming aspect in itself. The idea of incompleteness or my interpretation in this case is that in 1916 the majority of art observers were mainly financially fortunate, expecting to snoop there way through galleries and uncover all that is there but this piece is different as it hides and deceives, I find the feeling relatable to John cage’s 4’33.

For myself Duchamp’s piece interests me because of how simple and playful it is, I like that it so experimentally different using uncomplex ideas, which to me shows that the boundaries to art are limitless.  I also find it interesting that it is a physical experience for the viewer down to the fact that one must pick it up to experience it completely which ties in my enjoyment of kinetic tactile sound art.

Bibliography Of Consulted Material:

• Fijalkowski, K. (2020) “Secret Noise: Marcel Duchamp and the (Un)sound Object,” Journal of Sonic Studies [Preprint], (20). Available at: https://doi.org/10.22501/jss.978680.
• Lark Wool (2012) Marcel Duchamp – With Hidden Noise, youtube.com. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-z5W3W6Lro (Accessed: October 16, 2025).