ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Marianne Vitale's Railroad Readymades Featured at Contemporary Fine Art, Berlin During Frieze Week

exhibition · 2026-04-22

Marianne Vitale's 2016 works, including Armored Worthy 1 + 2 and Common Crossing (Thirteen), were presented at Contemporary Fine Art, Berlin during Frieze Week. The exhibition featured repurposed railroad components known as 'common crossings' or 'frogs,' which are standard railroad switches. Vitale reorients these industrial objects vertically, transforming them into sculptural readymades. This approach draws a parallel to Marcel Duchamp's seminal Fountain, which similarly recontextualized a mundane urinal. The installation view showcases three distinct pieces from 2016, all courtesy of the Berlin gallery. The works demonstrate how minimally altered, everyday artifacts can acquire artistic resonance. The presentation was highlighted as a Frieze Week selection by artcritical.

Key facts

  • Marianne Vitale created the works in 2016.
  • The exhibition took place at Contemporary Fine Art, Berlin.
  • The presentation occurred during Frieze Week.
  • Works include Armored Worthy 1 + 2 and Common Crossing (Thirteen).
  • Vitale uses railroad switches called 'common crossings' or 'frogs'.
  • She positions these industrial objects vertically.
  • The artistic method references Marcel Duchamp's Fountain.
  • artcritical featured the show as a Frieze Week pick.

Entities

Artists

  • Marianne Vitale
  • Marcel Duchamp

Institutions

  • Contemporary Fine Art, Berlin
  • artcritical
  • Contemporary Fine Art

Locations

  • Berlin
  • Germany

Sources