The story of Conceptual Art most definitely begins with the influential power of Marcel Duchamp. Duchamp was a French artist who believed that every artwork's idea was more important than its product. His artwork paved the way for Conceptual Art in the 1970's. The Conceptual artists appreciated Duchamp's artwork for its conceptual characteristics. He was one of the first artists, through use of his ready-mades, to become a prototype for Conceptual Art.

Conceptual Art was one of the largest and quickly undertaken movements in the twentieth century. The artwork that they portrayed is great in numbers. Several times throughout their reign, the Conceptual artists gathered to show their work. An exhibition in 1960 had introduced Conceptual Art to the world, and soon after, their work would flourish as they started to exhibit their work in new places.