Lauded as one of the defining figures of minimalist art, Donald Judd began designing furniture not because he wanted to, but because he needed to. Dissatisfied with the furniture that was available on the market and with real estate purchases to furnish, Judd decided to pick up the tools himself. In his 1993 essay It’s Hard to Find a Good Lamp, he wrote that all furniture made since the 1920s is “junk for consumers” and that by the ‘90s, there was “no furniture which is pleasurable to look at, fairly available, and moderate in price.” Taking matters into his own hands, he sought to create furniture that was utilitarian and geometric, and above all functional.
Donald Judd at Eicholteren, Küssnach am Rigi, Switzerland, 1990. Donald Judd Artwork: © 2024 Judd Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. The present lot on offer, a rare “Armchair 1” made in galvanized steel, is an excellent example of Judd’s predilection for industrial materials and commitment to straightforward design. The steel’s zinc coating enhances the material’s resilience against corrosion, ensuring the chair’s longevity without any unnecessary adornment. While Judd famously wrote “The art of a chair is not its resemblance to art, but is partly its reasonableness, usefulness and scale as a chair," the design of his "Armchair 1" is striking in both its usefulness and artful design. This armchair, characterized by angular forms and reminiscent of Judd’s renowned steel sculptures, perfectly illustrates this belief. However, despite the beauty and function of the present "Armchair 1" in galvenised steel, it is believed that only two were made in Judd's lifetime. The present armchair was acquired by the previous owner directly from the artist circa 1993.
Provenance
Michael and Gabrielle Boyd, Los Angeles, acquired directly from the artist, circa 1993
Wright, Chicago, "Living in Design: The Michael & Gabrielle Boyd Collection," June 7, 2023, lot 107
Acquired from the above by the present ownerLiterature
Nigel Prince, ed., Donald Judd and Alex Coles, Donald Judd: A Good Chair is a Good Chair, exh. cat, Ikon Gallery, Birmingham, 2010, front cover, pp. 62, 67, 83, 115
Flavin Judd and Rainer Judd, eds., Donald Judd Spaces, New York, 2020, p. 247Artist Biography
Donald Judd
American • 1928 - 1994
Donald Judd came to critical acclaim in the 1960s with his simple, yet revolutionary, three-dimensional floor and wall objects made from new industrial materials, such as anodized aluminum, plywood and Plexiglas, which had no precedent in the visual arts. His oeuvre is characterized by the central constitutive elements of color, material and space. Rejecting the illusionism of painting and seeking an aesthetic freed from metaphorical associations, Judd sought to explore the relationship between art object, viewer and surrounding space with his so-called "specific objects." From the outset of his three-decade-long career, Judd delegated the fabrication to specialized technicians. Though associated with the minimalist movement, Judd did not wish to confine his practice to this categorization.
Inspired by architecture, the artist also designed and produced his own furniture, predominantly in wood, and eventually hired a diverse team of carpenters late in his career.
Property of a Private American Collector
118
Rare "Armchair 1"
designed 1984, produced 1993
Galvanized steel.
29 5/8 x 19 5/8 x 19 5/8 in. (75.2 x 49.8 x 49.8 cm)
Underside impressed D J 3 8 9 3 ©.
Estimate
$40,000 - 60,000
Sold for $82,550
Benjamin Green
Associate Specialist, Head of Sale, New York
bgreen@phillips.com
+1 212 940 1267
Design
New York Auction 11 December 2024
126
This lot is no longer available.
203
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