“The art of a chair is not its likeness to art, but is partly its reasonableness, its usefulness, and its size as a chair.”
The new book Donald Judd Furniture presents a’in-depth analysis of the’design work by Donald Judd, Pioneering Figure of Minimal Art and one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Published in collaboration with the Judd Foundationthis volume is dedicated to exploring over one hundred pieces of furniture designed by’artist between 1970 and 1991, offering a rich insight into his approach based on the fusion of functionality and form.
The artistic career of Donald Judd, born in 1928 in Excelsior Springs, Missouri, has been characterized by an incessant desire to explore and redefine the boundaries between different artistic disciplines, including painting, sculpture,’architecture and, last but not least, design. Known for the’rigorous use of geometric shapes and industrial materialsJudd has always conceived space as a creative and plastic element to be shapeda principle he applied much in his works’art as much as in design objects.
The book focuses on the furniture designed by Judd, born from the’need to furnish living and working spaces in New York and Marfa, Texas in a functional and coherent way with his minimalist aesthetic vision. It was during the renovation of his home and studio in New York that Judd began to dedicate himself to product design, later expanding this activity to complete the interiors of his refuge in Marfa. The furniture, made mainly of wood and metal, embody the purity of the forms and the sober aesthetics that characterize Judd’s entire artistic production. The volume presents these pieces through a series of detailed drawings, technical breakdowns of materials and color photographs, offering readers the opportunity to fully understand how the objects interact with the surrounding space, defining not only its use, but also its atmosphere.
One of the peculiarities of Judd’s work was his meticulous attention to the intrinsic nature of the materials used. The wooden furniture, for example, made from a variety of hardwoods and stained plywoods, continues to be produced in the United States faithfully to its original specifications. Likewise, other furniture is still produced in Switzerland from materials such as painted aluminum, brass and copper, always maintaining a close connection to the craftsmanship and formal consistency that were central to Judd’s philosophy. Each piece is produced in close collaboration with artisans and producersthus reflecting the artist’s interest in quality and attention to detail.
Donald Judd Furniture is not simply a collection of design projects, but emerges as a work that deeply investigates the Judd’s deep interest in the potential offered by design in an age dominated by mass productionhighlighting Judd’s thinking about functionality, proportion and scale, and offering a rare insight into the creative process of one of the greatest artists of the last century.
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