Fil-

tra-
tion
A GRAHPICAL DIALOGUE WITH DOANLD JUDD

J O N A S TA N G
 THE EDITOR
J o n a s TA N G C H I N H O N G

S03665001

YEAR 3 undergraduate

H A B I TAT I O N S T U D I O

2005-2006

TERM 2

ARCHITECTURE.CUHK

ARC4302

in

STUDIES OF SELECTED PERIODS OF WORKS OF ARCHITECTURE

CONDUCTED BY

Professor JOHN LIN

Donald Judd is regarded as a minimalist. His work of art

DONALD JUDD
is expressed by simple geometr y, pure colour and fine

craftsmanship. He saw ar t work as an entity, to be viewed

as a whole, within its context, to the viewer scale, chang-

es of light and the angle of perception.

Art Position

His serious attitude towards art drives a concentration to

how his work exhibit. He wanted his art to be situated in

a neutral space, which brings a strong focus towards his

art, rather than a by-itself stunning museum space. The

permanent exhibition he strived for can tell his serious-

ness towards time.

The Geometry and the Materials

The material he used is plexiglass, aluminum, highly polished,

galvanized iron, stainless steel, and enameled or anodized alu-

minum. In line with the Bauhaus or de Stijl architectural lan-

guage, he used self-coloured materials and avoided any am-

biguous definition of geometr y. Within the limits of labor and

money, he tried to make his specific objects efficient to trans-

port, cheap to make and easy to resemble. A very controversial

issue arouse when he make his work of art as prefabricated,

which is also always his sprit of ar t-mak ing. For treating such

machine-made materials, he aims at retaining its pure geom-

etry and devoid any trace of treatment of human hand, the very

detail handcraftsmanship, though present, but was invisible in

his artwork.
Cadmium Red

He preferred cadmium red as the colour many of his specific

objects, because this colour is more definitive. It can define

different plane under light. It produces sharp edges and an en-

tire volumetric sense. It arouses certain kind of enlightenment

too.
 THE BEGINNING
Dear Donald Judd,

I am glad that I learnt you from different sources.

Yo u r w o r k i s s i m p l e b u t r i c h .

They embrace no dominating aspects of qualities.

S i t e , G e o m e t r y, L i g h t , C o l o u r, Te x t u r e , M a t e r i a l s . . .

yet all are related to each other.

I hope,

through this book,

I can have a dialogue with your work

as a graphical dialogue with you

in terms of different aspects of qualities mentioned...

J o n a s Ta n g
PA R T 0 C O N T E N T S
 PA R T O N E

PHOTOGRAPHIC WA L L E D
VOLUME

03
DISCUSSION

WA L L E D
F L O O R COLOUR
B O X E S VOLUME

01 04
C A N T I - large -
L E V E R scale
STACKS

02 05
PA R T T W O

GRAPHICAL WA L L E D
VOLUME

03
DIALOGUE

WA L L E D
F L O O R COLOUR
B O X E S VOLUME

01 04
C A N T I - large -
L E V E R scale
STACKS

02 05
PA R T 1 P H O T O G R A P H I C D I S C U S S I O N
Photographic Discussion

T h i s p a r t i s t o p r o v i d e d i f f e r e n t i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f J u d d s w o r k

b y m e a n s o f f r a m i n g . J u d d s w o r k i s a l w a y s u n d e r - o b s e r v e d

due to their simplicity. The work gave a strong impression to

the museum spaces and the observers. What is more than that

is a detailed and layered complexity which is always under-

observed.

Photographic record serves to be a good source of finding

what the practical and technical side of his work is. Both of

his work and De Stijl ar t shares the same pictorial quality,

which is demanding a certain extent of technical details as a

transition from the theoretical to the practical.

The point, line, plane, volume geometric relationship is shown

to be clearer and more definitive with proper framing. A cer-

tain issue of details illustrates that the precision came from

the meaning of definition rather than technical achievements.

P H O T O O B S E R VAT I O N 0 1

F L O O R boxes
01 Floor Boxes

Donald Judd positioned himself a sculptor more than a

painter. He prefer red the multiple -angles and looseness from

control of vie w that painting cannot achie ved for. H is spir it

towards the floor boxes is an object without any specific

viewing angle, which just simply exists. His work is usually

just central in the room, without any frontal and back. All the

time he makes his art work quiet and static. The stableness of

the objects is suggesting definitive places for them but with-

out any traces of dynamic balance and kinetic movements.

05
Untitled, 1968/1991 Untitled, 1962/1987 DSS 41
Douglas fir plywood Douglas fir plywood light cadmium red oil
painted, aluminium painted on wood
19 1/2 x 45 x 30 1/2 19 1/2 x 45 x 30 1/2 49.5 x 115.6 x 77.5 cm
(cat. no.4) (cat. no.2)

DSS 39 DSS 46 Untitled, 1964

light cadmium red chartreuse oil on oil on wood ,
oil on wood with wood and yellow enameled iron
iron pipe enamel on iron 19 1/2 x 48 x 34
56.2 x 115.3 x 80cm 49.5 x112 x 86.4 cm

Untitled 1969 DSS 57 DSS 82

clear anodized alu- (illustrated example amber plexiglass and
minium, plexiglass, 1970) stainless steel
33 x 68 x 48 brass and red enamel 50.8 x 122 x 86.4 cm
(cat. no.6) on wood
54.6 x 125.5 x 92.7 cm
05
05
05
05
05
05
P H O T O O B S E R VAT I O N 0 2

C A N T I L E V E R S TA C K S
02 Cantilever Stacks

These stacks, layered, cantilevered box was one of his famous

series. He arranged the box precisely such that every interval

is the same. This is an object of non-scale. The ambience light

the colour volume is perceived as a ne w perception to colour,

where colour is not painted in materials surface, but is actu-

ally visible in the air. The anodized aluminum wrapping used

in some stacks art piece suggest a cool and reflective way to

see the colour.

DSS 69 Untitled, 1993 Untitled, 1990
(exhibition example copper with wrap stainless steel,
1969) around plexiglass plexiglass
blue lacquer on 10 units 10 units
galvanized iron each 9 7/8 x 39 3/4 each 9 7/8 x 39 3/4
15.3 x 68.6 x 61 cm x 30 1/2 x 30 1/2
(cat. no.27) (cat. no.20)

Untitled, 1990 Untitled, 1992 DSS 65

stainless steel, plex- galvanized iron
iglass 7 parts
10 units each 23 x 101.6 x 76.2 cm
each 6 1/8 x 24 x 27 distance each 23cm
F R O M S TA C K S

TO WA L L E D V O LU M E
P H O T O O B S E R VAT I O N 0 3

WA L L E D V O LU M E
03 Walled Volume

This is the beginning of another series where boxes are

painted internally a pure colour and the volume of colour is

perceived, such that colour occupies space and viewer an-

gle changed in a progressive manner to different intervals.

There are 2 sub-series; they are different from their encas-

ing, one with wood and the other with aluminum. For Judd, to

use aluminum sheet is an advancement from wood, as is pro-

vides thinner and finer line, which is more definitive in the

geometry of the specific objects and it cools down the light

and equalize the surface, where wood is

washed and with rich textures.

S TA C K S

TO WA L L E D V O LU M E
 Untitled, 1988 Untitled, 1991
aluminium, plexiglass aluminium, anodized
9 7/8 x 39 3/4 x 9 7/8 aluminium, plexiglass
(cat. no.12) 9 7/8 x 39 3/4 x 9 7/8
(cat. no.22)

Untitled, 1991 Untitled, 1991

aluminium, anodized aluminium, transpar-
aluminium, transparent ent yellow over red
blue over red plexiglass plexiglass,
9 7/8 x 39 3/4 x 9 7/8 9 7/8 x 39 2/4 x 9 7/8
(cat. no.24) (cat. no.23)

Untitled, 1988 Untitled, 1991 Untitled, 1991 Untitled, 1991

aluminium, plexiglass aluminium, anodized aluminium, anodized aluminium, transpar-
9 7/8 x 39 3/4 x 9 7/8 aluminium, plexiglass aluminium, transpar- ent yellow over red
(cat. no.12) 9 7/8 x 39 3/4 x 9 7/8 ent blue over red plexiglass,
(cat. no.22) plexiglass 9 7/8 x 39 2/4 x 9 7/8
9 7/8 x 39 3/4 x 9 7/8 (cat. no.23)
(cat. no.24)
Untitled, 1986
Douglas fir plywood, plexiglass
39 3/4 x 39 3/4 x 19 5/8
Untitled, 1991
Carrten steel, painted black
4 units
each 39 1/4 x 39 3/4 x 19 5/8
 P H O T O O B S E R VAT I O N 0 4

WA L L E D CO LO U R V O LU M E
04 Walled colour volume

The 2 colour was arranged in the sense that no one is strong-

er than the other and there is no clue which is primary and

secondar y, they co- exist in the same value.

Central to the colour arrangement was the exhibition Don-

a l d J u d d C o l o u r i s t . H e c a r e f u l l y a r r a n g e d c o l o u r i n l o n g s t r i p

box and place them in relationship to each other so that no

colour is dominant, the colour existed in the internal surface

of the box reflec ts to give an other inter pretation of colour,

though the colour is pure for its surface, Judd, tends to ad-

dresses the existence of space of colour is gradual.

progressions

a transition
to walled
colour volume
Untitled 1969
lacquer on anodized
aluminium,
6 1/8 x 110 3/4 x 6
(cat. no.7)
Untitled, 1985
enameled aluminium
11 7/8 x 118 x 11 7/8
(cat. no.9)

Untitled, 1987
enameled aluminium
2 units
each 11 7/8 x 141 1/2 x 11 7/8
(cat. no.11)

Untitled, 1987
enameled aluminium
2 units
each 11 7/8 x 141 1/2 x 11 7/8
(cat. no.11)
Untitled, 1985
enameled aluminium,
11 7/8 x 35 1/2 x 11 7/8
(cat. no.8)
Untitled, 1989
enameled aluminium,
11 7/8 x 70 7/8 x 11 7/8
(cat. no.15)
Untitled, 1989
enameled aluminium,
11 2/8 x 70 2/8 x 11 7/8
(cat. no.13)
Untitled, 1985
enameled aluminium,
11 7/8 x 59 x 11 7/8
(cat. no.10)
P H O T O O B S E R VAT I O N 0 5

L arge - scale
05 Large Scale

Scale and time is a central issue of exhibition. He saw the ex-

hibition not a temporal display of certain kind of art work and

a seasonal switch from various artists. But it is really a site-

specific art piece which exists in its time and place axis. He

managed to hold a permanent exhibition in his own building.

The exhibition is a display of his and other selected artists

work.

Under certain foundation, he managed to have permanent

installation work, which is philosophically

in line with his art attitudes.

Untitled, 1991
aluminium
5 units
each 59 x 59 x 59
Chinati Foundation
permanent installation of
concrete work
by Donald Judd
Chinati Foundation, south artillery shed
with permanent installation of 48 works
by Donald Judd
Chinati Foundation, north artillery shed
with permanent installation of 52 works
by Donald Judd
PA R T 2 G R A P H I C A L D I A L O G U E
Graphical Dialogue

T h i s p a r t i s t o p r o v i d e a g r a p h i c a l a n a l y s i s o f J u d d s w o r k , i n

terms of various single aspects of picturesque quality, e.g.

point, line, plane (surface), volume, materials, light, solid,

void . It inherited a strong relationship among them.

T h e g r a p h i c a l s t u d y i s a t h e o r e t i c a l r e - c o n s t r u c t o f J u d d s

wor k on paper. I t goes be yond the pure simplicit y and neat-

ness of the minimal quality. I t also brings out the discussion

o f r i c h n e s s t o w a r d s J u d d s w o r k . M o s t o f t e n , t h e r i c h n e s s

comes from the complexity of geometry

and the materials quality.

graphical dialogue 0 1

floor box
meet 3 lines | intersect meet 2 lines | folding meet 0 or 1 line | vanishing
lines |
meet 3 plane | turning plane meet 2 plane | folding meet 0 or 1 plane | edge differentiated lines |
lines with texture |
outlines |
colour |
differentitated colours |
colour gradients |
ground |
figure |
texture |
graphical dialogue 0 2

the walled stacks

points |
meet 3 lines | intersect meet 2 lines | folding meet 0 or 1 line | vanishing points |
lines |
meet 3 plane | turning plane meet 2 plane | folding meet 0 or 1 plane | edge
differentiated lines |
strong planes |
less strong planes |
planes under light |
colour gradients |
solid and void |
solid and void |
graphical dialogue 0 3

the walled volume

coloured planes |
lines |
detail lines |
reflection lines |
meet 3 plane | turning plane meet 2 plane | folding meet 0 or 1 plane | edge
solid and void |
meet 3 lines | intersect meet 2 lines | folding meet 0 or 1 line | vanishing points |
reflection points |
shadows |
 graphical dialogue 0 4

the walled C O L O U R volume

joints |
meet 3 lines | intersect meet 2 lines | folding meet 0 or 1 line | vanishing
lines |
strong lines |
meet 3 plane | edge meet 2 plane | folding meet 0 or 1 plane | division
colour planes |
planes forms enclose |
other planes |
solid and void
void_plane
strong lines |
colours and light
graphical dialogue 0 5

large scale
the site |
lines |
detail lines |
plane without tube |
supporting tube bent inward |
supporting tube bent outward |
solid and void |
meet 3 lines | intersect meet 2 lines | folding meet 0 or 1 line | vanishing points |
meet 3 plane | edge meet 2 plane | folding meet 0 or 1 plane | division
lines |
1928 1971

BIOGRAPHY
Born on 3 June in Excelsior M o v e d t o M a r f a , Te x a s
Spring, Missouri 1976
1948/49 Baldwin Professor at Oberlin
Studied at the College of William College, Ohio
and Mar y, Williamsburg 1986
1948-1953 Opening of a permanent exhi-
Studied at the Art Students bition of his works at
Le a g u e , N e w Yo r k S t u d i e d a t the Chinati Foundation, Mar fa
C o l u m b i a U n i v e r s i t y, N e w Yo r k , 1987
qualifying in Philosophy Awarded the Skowhegan Medal
1957-1962 for Sculpture by the Skowhe-
Studied Art History at Columbia gan School of Painting and
U n i v e r s i t y, N e w Yo r k Sculpture, Mayne, and the
1959-1965 Brandeis University Medal for
Art critic for various magazines Sculpture by Brandeis Univer-
1962-1964 sity, Waltham, Massachusetts
Ta u g h t a t B r o o k l y n I n s t i t u t e o f 1992
Arts and Sciences, Prize from the Stankowski
B r o o k l y n , N e w Yo r k Foundation, Stuttgar t
1967 1993
Ta u g h t a t Ya l e U n i v e r s i t y, N e w Award from the Sik kens Foun-
Haven dation, Sassenheim,
1968 the Netherlands
Bought the building at 101 1994
Spring Street in New Donald Judd died on 12 Feb-
Yo r k . Aw a r d e d a G u g g e n h e i m Fe l - r u a r y i n N e w Yo r k
lowship
Donald Judd, colorist Diet- Lisbon : Ministrio de Cul-

REFERENCE
mar Elger (ed.). Bonn : Hatje tura : Centro Cultural de
Cantz Publishers, c2000. Belm, c1997.

Donald Judd, Architektur Donald Judd : 1955-1968

Herausgegeben von Marianne / [conception and realisa-
Stockebrand. Stuttgart : Edi- tion], Thomas Kellein. New
tion Cantz, 1992. Y o r k : D . A . P. , c 2 0 0 2 .

Art + design : Donald Judd

[katalogredaktion, Renate
Petzinger, Hanne Dannenberg
er].[Stuttgart] : Cantz Verlag,
c1993.

Donald Judd : Escultura,

gravura, mobilirio = sculp-
ture, prints, furniture Cen-
tro Cultural de Belm, 1997 /
[Coordena editorial, Clara
T v o r a V i l a r, N u n o C a r v a l h o ] .
Colour Key

meet 3 lines | intersect meet 2 lines | folding meet 0 or 1 line | vanishing

meet 3 plane | turning plane meet 2 plane | folding meet 0 or 1 plane | edge
points |
differentiated lines |