Book Description
One of the most influential American artists of the post-war period, Donald Judd changed the course of modern sculpture. Beginning as an art critic and then a painter, Judd moved into three dimensions with the box-like structures he produced in the early 1960s, either arranged on the gallery floor or mounted on the wall. Initially constructed by hand, the sculptures were later industrially manufactured in galvanized iron, steel, plexiglass, and plywood. His use of vibrant color, polished and reflective metals, and brightly hued lacquer confounded and continues to confound expectations of what "minimalist" sculpture should look like. This lavishly illustrated survey features 41 works from collections around the world, many of them large scale, each illustrated with full catalogue entries alongside many other major works by Judd. Contributors Nicholas Serota (Director of the Tate), Rudi Fuchs (former Director of The Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam), American critics Richard Schiff and David Raskin, and British artist and critic David Batchelor explore the conflicts between previous critical interpretations of Judd and his own philosophical, political, and moral understanding of his work. Judd's critical response to the work of other artists is examined, as is the importance of color to his work, and his reaction to new man-made materials and artificially generated color in the late-20th-century environment. A section on Judd's installations at Marfa in Texas, and an extensive new chronology, compiled by Judd's assistant, Jeff Kopie, are also included. Donald Judd compromises the most thorough and up-to-date publication on Judd in print today. Essays by Rudi Fuchs, David Batchelor, John Jervis, Richard Schiff, Nicholas Serota and David Raskin. Hardcover, 9.5 x 12.25 in./288 pgs / 100 color and 30 b & w.

Language Notes
Text: German, English

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"Beginning as a critic and painter, Donald Judd moved into three dimensions in the early 1960s, with box-like structures arranged on the gallery floor or mounted on the wall. Initially constructed by hand, his sculptures were later industrially manufactured in such materials as galvanised iron, steel, Plexiglas and plywood. His use of brightly hued lacquers, vibrant colours and polished metals ran counter to the public's understanding of what 'minimalist' sculpture should look like." The authors explore the conflicts between previous critical interpretations of Judd and his own philosophical, political and moral understanding of his work. They also examine the importance of colour and new man-made materials in Judd's work. The inclusion of a section on Judd's own permanent installations at the remote town of Marfa, Texas, a full chronology and a major essay by the artist on his own use of colour, completes a comprehensive survey of this compelling artist.

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal

No exploration of minimalism would be complete without considering the influence of American sculptor Judd (1928- 94). His work-spare, boxlike structures in glowing colors, reflective materials, and natural wood-was elegant in its simplicity but challenging in its subtle variations and progressions of design. Editor Serota, director of the Tate Gallery in London, has assembled a lavishly illustrated volume with significant written content. In addition to his essay, "Donald Judd: A Sense of Place," the book includes personal remembrances of Judd, interpretations of Judd's work by a variety of art scholars, and even an essay by Judd himself. The essays accompany photographs of individual sculpture pieces, paintings, and artist's design sketches. While quite a few books on Judd exist, each emphasizes an aspect of the artist or his work (e.g., Donald Judd: The Early Works 1956-1968). In contrast, this book is wide-ranging, making it suitable not only for specialized collections but also for large libraries that need a definitive title on the artist.-Ilene Skeen, Hunter Coll., New York Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

ACCREDITATION