The color gray is a neutral, moody color that is often thought to symbolize dullness, dinginess, and filthiness, as well as formality, conservatism, and sophistication. Gray is a practical color, often linked with sadness and loss.
The answer is both. Despite most of Duchamp's work was a sort of spoof (including "N*ude Descending a Staircase"), the consequences of his trajectory represent a critical watershed in the History of Art.
