Untitled 1965

This is an untitled piece by Donald Judd, and it’s all about how he put materials together. The boxy form is made of galvanized iron and smoky Plexiglas, materials that aren’t usually combined, and which are distinctly modern, industrial. Look at how the hazy, reflective surface of the Plexiglas contrasts with the matte, speckled texture of the iron, making you think about inside and outside. The iron has such a strange texture, which might be an allusion to painting. It doesn’t hide what it is, but the speckled texture creates a subtle surface complexity. Judd wasn’t into illusion, he wanted art to be real, so that the industrial materials could speak for themselves. It makes me think of the boxes of John McCracken. Both artists force us to re-evaluate how we perceive space, form, and the materials that make up our world. It's all about that ongoing exchange of ideas across time, isn’t it?