Spring Catalogue Exhibition 2009
Donald Judd
Chairs
beech plywood, 760 x 380 x 380mm each
Initially known as a sculptor, Missouri-born Judd became recognised for his skill as a furniture designer and maker during the 1970s. This expansion of his oeuvre followed his move to a small town in Texas where he was unable to buy locally the furniture he and his family required for their new home.
Judd's furniture maintains the approach he established with his sculptural work. While he rejected the label "Minimalist", Judd's aesthetic encompasses many of Minimalism's most celebrated features and it is he who encapsulated the movement's aim by describing his work as "the simple expression of a complex thought."
Minimalist design is characterised by its austerity. Decorative elements and indicators as to how the work has been constructed are removed. This frees the eye to focus on the shape, colour and substance of an object without the distraction of extraneous detail.
These works are easily recognisable as Judd's. Pared down to the most practical shape for the purpose; the square, it is easy to see why Judd's designs continue to inform the work of many contemporary makers today. JT
