What is Found Object art?

Found object art uses existing objects, typically manufactured items, as art materials or as complete artworks themselves. Marcel Duchamp’s readymades pioneered this approach, while Surrealists like Joseph Cornell created assemblages combining found objects in evocative, dreamlike arrangements. The practice challenges distinctions between art and everyday life, inviting viewers to see ordinary objects with transformed perception. Found objects bring real-world associations and histories into artistic contexts, creating meaning through juxtaposition and recontextualization. Contemporary artists continue exploring found object approaches in sculpture, mixed media, and installation work.