Art Wednesday

January is the month to detox and de-clutter. If we were asked to recommend an exhibition that fits in nicely with this notion, then Donald Judd (1928-94) at Sprueth Magers would be it. Starting this Friday, this is a rare opportunity to see the American-born artist’s work, curated by Peter Ballentine, who has devoted much of his work to Judd’s art since the late 60s.

Often thought of as the Godfather of ‘minimalism’, although he fervently denied this notion, Judd was interested in forms and the space that those forms occupied. In the early 60s he began making three-dimensional work, which reflected his minimal aesthetic. These sculptures were industrial and structural and rejected widely practised European principles. In other words he liked to call a spade a spade.

All the drawings in the exhibition are in some way connected to the objects that he made from 1963-1993 – many were part of the fabrication process – and reflect the object’s aesthetic of clean, uncluttered lines.

 Peter Ballantine will give a talk about the issues of Judd drawing and fabrication at the Courtauld Institute of Art’s Kenneth Clark lecture theatre on Friday, 17 February at 7pm.

Working Papers: Donald Judd Drawings, 1963 – 93 is on from 13 January – 18 February 2012

Opening hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 6pm. Admission: Free

 For more information about Sprueth Magers [click here]  

Untitled, 1963