create an exhibition which in itself would be a creative act, and called on Duchamp to do so. At the exhibition’s entrance he placed Salvador Dal’s Rainy Taxi This work consisted of a taxicab rigged to produce a drizzle of water down the inside of the windows, a shark-headed creature in the driver’s seat, and a blond mannequin crawling with live snails in the back. In this way Duchamp greeted entering patrons, who were in full evening dress.
Surrealist Street filled one side of the lobby with mannequins dressed by various surrealists. The main hall was a simulation of a dark subterranean cave with 1,200 coal bags suspended from the ceiling. Illumination was provided only by a single light bulb, so patrons were given flashlights with which to view the art.
An installation by Wolfgang Paalen was composed of oak leaves and a water-filled pond with water