Donald Judd (1928–1994) remains one of the most significant artists of the twentieth century, whose radical ideas and work continue to provoke and influence the fields of art, architecture, and design. Born in Excelsior Springs, Missouri, and after having served in the United States Army, Judd attended the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, and Columbia University, New York, where he received a B.S. in Philosophy, cum laude, in 1953. Studying at the Art Students League, Judd began his artistic career as a painter and transitioned to three-dimensional work in the early 1960s. Throughout his lifetime, in his writings and his work, he advocated for the importance of art and the artist’s role in society. His work has been exhibited internationally since the 1960s and is included in numerous museum collections. A major retrospective of the artist's work is forthcoming at The Museum of Modern Art, New York.
Donald Judd
Statement 1968
Any art involves philosophical, social, and political attitudes. It’s hard to generalize about all art and the United States but essentially the best art is opposed to the main kinds of power and to many of the prevailing attitudes.